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[av_heading heading=’Ombudsman: Rearrest ex-Palawan guv Reyes’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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January 11, 2018
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MANILA – Days after getting released from detention, former Palawan governor Joel Reyes could find himself reentering jail after the Office of the Ombudsman ordered his arrest in connection with an anomalous renewal of a mining permit.
In an urgent motion the Ombudsman released on Wednesday, the Sandiganbayan was asked to cancel Reyes’ bail to prevent him escaping like he did when he was facing a murder charge for the death of broadcaster Gerry Ortega.
Reyes and brother Mario went into hiding in 2012 before a warrant of arrest was issued against him. They were eventually arrested in Thailand and brought back to the Philippines to face trial in 2015.
“With the advent of his recent release from detention, the prosecutions deems it necessary to cancel his bail and for his immediate commitment to prison considering his previous record (of flying outside of the country),” the Ombudsman said.
Reyes was convicted for graft over the renewal of the Olympic Mines and Development Corp.’s (OMDC) small-scale mining permit for the period April 6, 2006 to April 5, 2008.
The renewal was questioned because the OMDC already exceeded the annual maximum extraction limit of 50,000 dry metric tons (DMT) of ore and used heavy equipment in its operations, in violation of small-scale mining laws.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division last year meted Reyes with a prison term of six to eight years. He was detained in Puerto Princesa City but able to post bail.
Reyes’ lawyer Demetrio Custodio criticized the Ombudsman order, saying it would be impossible for his client to escape again after scoring “a very significant legal victory at the Court of Appeals.”
The appellate court recently ruled to dismiss the murder case against Reyes. It said the Puerto Princesa Regional Trial Court abused its discretion when it decided there was probable cause to charge Reyes of involvement in the killing of Ortega.
“It would be absurd to even think that … Reyes would be a flight risk at this time,” Custodio said in a statement. “Why would he mitigate the value of this victory by fleeing?”/PN
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