Accused in Ortega slay allowed to post bail

MANILA, Philippines—Due to weakness of evidence, the Puerto Princesa City Regional Trial Court allowed one of the accused in the death of broadcaster and environmentalist Gerry Ortega to post bail.

In an eight-page decision dated July 8, RTC Branch 52 Judge Angelo Arizada granted the bid of lawyer Romeo Seratubias to post bail worth P300,000. Seratubias is the alleged owner of the pistol used in Ortega’s killing.

Gerry Ortega murder case: One of the accused allowed to post bail. INQUIRER PHOTO

The lower court ruled that even when the Police Firearms and Explosives Office has established Seratubias’ ownership of the gun, some of the previous testimonies verified that the “firearm used had been sold to Arturo “Nonoy” Regalado, close-in aide of former Palawan governor Joel Reyes.

“The Court finds that there are eyewitnesses attesting to the overt acts of Regalado in the planning and execution of the killing of Ortega,” the court said.

Ortega was killed on Jan. 24, 2011. Reyes and his brother Coron Mayor Mario Reyes are the principal accused in the case.