One step closer to justice: 110-year sentence for alleged mastermind of the murder of Philippines journalist Gerry Ortega
Press freedom organizations Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomes the conviction of former Palawan governor Joel T. Reyes, handed down earlier this week by the Sandiganbayan, the Philippines’ anti-graft court in Quezon City. Reyes was found guilty of eleven counts of graft for irregularities involving more than 200 government contracts during his term, in violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. He was sentenced to 110 years in prison and barred from holding public office.
The exposé of the alleged irregularities in the Malampaya gas fund supposedly led to the January 2011 murder of journalist Gerry Ortega. As documented in the 2022 investigation of Ortega’s murder by FPU in collaboration with CPJ and RSF, Gerry Ortega had been critical of the project and the Reyes’ administration on his radio show. In his Ramatak programme, Gerry Ortega spoke in detail about the irregular transactions for which Reyes has now been convicted. The conviction stands as a significant acknowledgment of Ortega's investigative work and reinforces his demands for accountability and justice.
The graft proceedings are thus not directly connected to the ongoing legal case against Reyes for his suspected role in orchestrating the murder of Ortega, but nevertheless represent a significant step on the road to justice for Ortega. Reyes is the prime suspect in Ortega’s assassination in January 2011, and the graft conviction ensures his continued detention while the case progresses. Crucially, the verdict also affirms the importance of Ortega’s journalistic work.
"The conviction of Joel T. Reyes is a recognition of the importance of Gerry Ortega's work, a journalist who reported about corruption by Joel T. Reyes and was murdered as a result. It reinforces the urgent need for accountability for the murder of Gerry Ortega." - Jos Bartman, Research Coordinator.
The coalition remains vigilant in monitoring the proceedings against Joel T. Reyes for his alleged involvement in the murder of Gerry Ortega and urges the Philippine authorities to ensure the trial proceeds without undue delay.
