Arrest warrants for Reyes brothers still stand

Former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and his brother, former Coron Mayor Mario Reyes INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The arrest orders against Joel Reyes, the ex-governor of Palawan, and his brother Mario, the ex-mayor of Coron, still stand despite the Court of Appeals’ (CA) dismissal of the case against the brothers for the 2011 murder of broadcaster Gerry Ortega, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Wednesday.

Although she has not seen a copy yet of the Sept. 27 ruling of the appellate court’s special 10th Division that cleared Joel of Ortega’s murder, De Lima said she heard that the decision did not mention that the arrest warrants for the Reyes brothers would be quashed.

“Those (arrest warrants) were not covered in the CA resolution. We agree with that position,” De Lima told reporters.

She said the manhunt for the Reyes brothers would continue and that they remain in the government’s “Big 6” most wanted list.

The list, originally the Big 5—Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Dinagat Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr., Globe Asiatique developer Delfin Lee and the two Reyes brothers—has been expanded with the addition of Reynald Lim, the brother of alleged pork barrel scam queen Janet Lim-Napoles, who is facing illegal detention charges in connection with the abduction of pork scam whistle-blower Bernard Luy.

A lawyer for the Ortega family, Alex Avisado, fully agreed with De Lima’s position on the arrest warrants for the Reyes brothers.

Avisado noted that only last Aug. 29, Puerto Princesa Judge Angelo Arizala denied the Reyeses’ motion asking the court to implement the appellate court’s ruling dismissing the case against them and recalling the arrest warrants; Joel Reyes’ omnibus motion seeking the recall of the arrest warrant as well as the motion ad cautelam to reconsider the finding of probable cause; and still another motion from Mario Reyes to recall/quash the warrant of arrest against him.

“The [Puerto Princesa court] affirmed its order dated March 27, 2012, finding probable cause and ordering the arrest of Joel Reyes and Mario Reyes. The warrants of arrest therefore stay despite the CA decision,” Avisado said in a text message.