Ortega daughter hopeful bail ruling for accused in slay won’t weaken case

PATRICIA Ortega (first from right), wife of murdered environmentalist and broadcaster Gerry Ortega, announces in a press conference that the murder case against the Reyes brothers continues. With her are Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn and lawyer Alex Avisado. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines—The daughter of slain broadcaster and environmentalist Gerry Ortega is still optimistic that the case against the alleged killers of her father will prosper even if the Palawan court allowed one of the accused to post bail for his temporary liberty.

Last Tuesday, Puerto Princesa City Regional Trial Court Branch 52 Judge Angelo Arizala granted the request of former Palawan Administrator lawyer Romeo Seratubias to post bail.

Seratubias, the alleged owner of the gun used in shooting Ortega, was required by the court to post P300,000 bail.

The court cited weakness of evidence in granting Seratubias’ request.

“We are saddened by the court’s decision but we remain hopeful that the case against those responsible for the death of my dad will still prosper,” she said Wednesday in a text message.

She said, in the same court order issued by Arizala, the lower court denied the bail request of Arturo “Nonoy” Regalado, the aide of former Palawan governor Joel Reyes.

“We have full confidence [in] the objectivity and integrity of Judge Arizala,” she said.

Seratubias owns the firearm used in Ortega’s killing, as established by the Police Firearms and Explosives Office.

The trial court, however, ruled that the gun had already been sold to another accused, Arturo Regalado, at the time of Ortega’s killing.

The Ortega family called on authorities to double their efforts in locating ex-Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and his brother, ex-Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, who we tagged as masterminds behind Ortega’s slay.