Reyes wife cries frame-up but won’t tell ex-gov’s whereabouts

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY— Palawan Vice Gov. Clara Reyes, wife of fugitive murder suspect and former Gov. Joel Reyes, on Tuesday broke her usual silence about her husband’s case, pointing to political enemies she refused to name as being behind a scheme to frame  her husband for the murder of Palawan journalist Gerry Ortega in 2010.

Delivering a speech on her birthday during the regular weekly session of the provincial legislature, Clara proclaimed her husband’s innocence, but failed to say why her husband refused to face the court or where he is.

She said “some forces who want to rule our province” are framing her husband.

She did not identify who these persons are but complained that her husband was “being tried by publicity.”

“In your hearts, I know that you know who is behind all these,” she said.

She added she endured “suffering for a year, choosing instead not to say a word about the accusations.”

Clara defended her husband and Joel’s brother, Mario, the mayor of Coron, claiming they could not have been involved in Ortega’s murder.

She said the Reyes brothers had no reputation for violence.

“They have served for over 20 years and through all those years, they (have) never hurt anyone,” Clara said.

The former governor was indicted after a former security aide, Rodolfo Edrad Jr., who had turned state witness, pointed to Joel as the mastermind of the Ortega murder.

Edrad said the ex-governor directly ordered him to kill Ortega, who was his most vocal critic over allegations of corruption and environmental abuse.

The younger Reyes, who had also gone into hiding, was included as an accomplice for allegedly having personally handled the money that would be paid Edrad after the assassination.

Clara claimed her husband was forced to hide because of a threat to his life by his political enemies.