PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Former Palawan Gov. Joel T. Reyes was released from the city jail here on Friday afternoon after the Court of Appeals (CA) upheld his petition questioning the merit of his trial as suspect in the 2011 murder of environmentalist and journalist Dr. Gerry Ortega, the former governor’s lawyer said.

Lawyer Demetrio Custodio, lead counsel for Reyes, said his client was released at 5:40 p.m.

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City jail warden Lito Soriano confirmed Reyes’ release in an interview with a local radio.

“The CA has ruled that the (regional trial court) has no basis to continue with the trial. Mali ang filing ng RTC (The RTC erred in filing the case). The RTC should stop hearing the case,” Custodio said.

When sought for comments, members of the Ortega family declined to issue a statement, saying they have not seen a copy of the CA ruling.

Ortega was gunned down by a hired gunman in January 2011 and Reyes had been being pinpointed as the mastermind.

The investigation led to the indictment of Reyes, his younger brother, former Coron Mayor Mario Reyes and several people formerly connected with the provincial government of Palawan.

Reyes was initially absolved by a Department of Justice panel of investigators but then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima rejected the decision and formed a second panel, which found prima facie evidence to indict him.

In 2012, Reyes went into hiding before the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Palawan RTC.

Reyes questioned before the CA the validity of the creation of a second panel and asked the appeals court to dismiss the case on that basis.

The case went on trial while Reyes was in hiding for three years.

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Several of Reyes’ coaccused had been convicted, including the gunman, Marlo Recamata, and the former governor’s aide Arturo Regalado.

The Reyes brothers were eventually arrested in Thailand and brought back to the country to face trial in 2015.

Mario Reyes, however, was allowed to post bail in 2016. /jpv

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