Palawan court enters 'not guilty' plea for Reyes brothers

MANILA, Philippines - A Palawan court trying former Coron, Palawan Mayor Mario Reyes and his brother, former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes for the murder of journalist Gerardo Ortega entered a “not guilty” plea for them in their arraignment Friday morning.

Puerto Princesa Regional Trial Court Branch 52 Judge Angelo Arizala entered the plea for the brothers after the brothers were advised by their lawyers not to enter their pleas.

“We advised them (brothers) not to enter a plea because there is still a pending case with the Supreme court in which we questioned the jurisdiction of this court,” Ferdinand Topacio, one of the lawyers for the accused brothers told the Star.

“If we have entered a plea, we have surrendered ourselves to the jurisdiction of the court,” added Topacio.

According to Topacio, they have filed last April before the Supreme Court, a motion to resolve their filed case. Topacio said they would be filing a second motion to resolve the motion considering the latest developments in the case of the Reyes brothers.

Meanwhile, Topacio said his clients are not enjoying special treatment at the Puerto Princesa City Jail contrary to reports.

“They wear the same uniform as the other inmates. They are not getting special treatment,” said Topacio.

Meanwhile, Judge Arizala also set the pre-trial conference of the case on December 3. Prosecution witness, Rodolfo “Bumar” Edrad, is expected to appear at the pre-trial conference.

Edrad, once a bodyguard of former Marinduque governor Jose Antonio Carreon, admitted to putting together the hit team, allegedly on Joel Reyes’ orders to kill Ortega.

Ortega was gunned down in January 2011. Police caught the hired gunman fleeing the scene of the crime and traced the pistol used in the murder to a lawyer of Joel Reyes. 

Joel Reyes and his brother, Mario, were arrested by the Philippine National Police early Friday morning on their arrival in the Philippines following their deportation from Thailand for violating the country’s immigration law. 

Members of the Ortega family attended Friday’s arraignment while supporters of the brothers staged a picket outside the courtroom demanding justice.