Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday said the government will continue to regard former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and his brother Mario as fugitives for as long as the Puerto Princesa City Regional Trial Court does not revoke the arrest warrants it issued against two for being suspects in the murder of environmentalist and broadcaster Gerry Ortega.
“I maintain my view that since the Court of Appeals didn’t nullify the warrant issued by RTC, that means the RTC agrees that there was probable cause. The arrest warrants still subsist, not yet revoked by the RTC, as the Court of Appeals decision is not yet final. So the Reyes brothers are still fugitives,” De Lima told reporters.
The Secretary was referring to a ruling by the appellate court early this month which annulled with finality De Lima’s creation of a second panel of prosecutors to investigate the Reyeses for murder.