A Palawan judge has granted bail to former Coron, Palawan Mayor Mario Reyes and his brother who are accused in the murder of broadcaster and environmentalist Gerardo “Gerry” Ortega.
Judge Angelo Arizala of the Palawan Regional Trial Court Branch 52 set bail for Mario and Joel Reyes at 500,000 pesos each.
Both Reyes and his brother were named by the hired killers who gunned down Ortega in Puerto Princesa on January 24th, 2011.
The two brothers took flight in March of 2012 – they landed in Thailand where for the past three years they were hiding in plain site. The warrant for their arrest was finally granted and they were extradited back to the Philippines in September of 2015.
Joel and Mario are running for Mayor and Vice Mayor of Coron in the 2016 elections from their jail cells – the two are said to have petitioned for bail long before this, hoping to campaign for the May 9th elections.
Officials have noted that one of the gunmen in the murder of Ortega has been found guilty for his involvement – the ruling came this past March in Palawan.