Family of slain Gerry Ortega to elevate case to SC

Dr. Gerardo Ortega. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines—The lawyer for the family of slain broadcaster and environmentalist Gerry Ortega said they were “unfazed” by the latest Court of Appeals ruling “which is purely based on technicality” and vowed to elevate the issue to the Supreme Court.

The CA stood pat on its ruling clearing former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes for Ortega’s death. In a six-page resolution, the appeals court special 10th division of five denied, for lack of merit, the motion for reconsideration filed by the Department of Justice to reverse its April 1 ruling that affirmed the order of the first DOJ panel clearing the former governor in the murder of Ortega.

“Now that it has been shown that Doc Gerry Ortega was killed because of his exposé on the plunder of Malampaya funds, it would be a travesty and an injustice to let the masterminds ex Gov. Joel Reyes and Mayor Marjo Reyes go free. We still believe that in the end, justice will only be for the deserving,” lawyer Alex Avisado said in a text message.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said it was “dismayed but not surprised” by the decision of the CA.

“Our belief remains strong that, notwithstanding the infirmities that continue to riddle our justice system, in the end, those responsible for silencing Ortega will be made to suffer for the crime they committed, not just against our colleague, not just against his family, but against the people of Palawan and of the country in general,” the NUJP said in a statement.

The group called on Justice Secretary Leila De Lima “to ensure that all legal proceedings connected with the prosecution of those responsible for murdering Gerry Ortega are airtight.”

“We cannot allow justice to slip away on technicalities,” it said.