UPDATING All Day, Every Day
TWO Philippine politicians wanted for murdering a prominent environmental activist have been arrested in Phuket after more than three years on the run. The pair were presented to the media in Bangkok. Joel Reyes, 63, and his brother Mario, 54, had been living in a rented house in Rawai. Murder victim Gerry Ortega was shot in the head at point-blank range while shopping.
Original Report
PHUKET: Immigration officials on Phuket have yet to confirm reports from the Philippines that two brothers, wanted over the killing of a journalist, had been arrested on Phuket and will be extradited over the high-profile murder.
According to several reports from the Philippines, the Reyes brothers - former Palawan governor Mario Joel and former mayor of Coron Mario - have long been sought for the murder of environmenrtalist-broadcaster Gerry Ortega.
The arrest was confirmed by Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. but Immigration officials on Phuket failed to confirm the arrests to Phuketwan .
One report from the Philippines said that Justice Secretary Leila De Lima messaged Secretary Coloma via SMS to say that Interpol-Manila confirmed to the Bureau of Immigration that the Reyes brothers were arrested by Thai police in Phuket Sunday night.
De Lima confirmed that Philippine immigration authorities were now processing the Reyes brothers' deportation papers.
Former Palawan governor Joel Reyes and his brother, former Coron mayor Mario Reyes, are implicated in the murder of Ortega in January 2011. A two million peso reward has been offered for their capture.
It is understood the pair were reported to have been pulled in for overstaying their visas, then the importance of the pair was established.
According to rappler.com, an intelligence source said the Reyes brothers have been in Thailand for several years now. Travel records of the two showed they went to Thailand in 2012 but did not book a return flight.
The victim's wife, Patty Ortega, told the Inquirer.net that she had been officially advised by authorities of the arrest. She added however they have no information on the circumstances.
Ortega's daughter, Mica, told a radio interview that the family was initially ''stunned'' and could not believe the news.
The powerful and rich in the Philippines have a reputation for eluding responsibility for alleged crimes.
"The powerful and rich in the Philippines have a reputation for eluding responsibility for alleged crimes." It would appear that for the "powerful and rich", in the Philippines, have much in common the "powerful and rich" in Thailand.
Posted by Laurie Howells on September 21, 2015 12:50