Fugitive ex-governor faces new raps–falsifying passport

Former Palawan Governor Joel T. Reyes INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Fugitive ex-governor Joel Reyes, who fled the country to escape arrest in connection with the murder of broadcaster and environmentalist Gerardo Ortega, is facing another charge for using a tampered passport.

Michaella Ortega, the eldest daughter of the slain Ortega, on Tuesday filed a complaint against Reyes with the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office for violations of the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, or Republic Act No. 8239, an offense punishable by six to 15 years in prison.

“As part of our quest for justice and in order to see to it that the guilty are held accountable for their crimes, our family, with myself as the complainant, is filing a complaint against (Reyes),” Michaella said in a statement.

The complaint was based on press reports that Reyes managed to slip out of the country on March 18, 2012, on a Cebu Pacific flight to Vietnam, using a passport under the name of Joseph Lim Pe.

Reyes had altered Pe’s passport by replacing the data page with another containing the former governor’s photo and a different signature.

The alleged passport tampering was confirmed by assistant secretary Jaime Victor Ledda of the Department of Foreign Affairs in a letter dated Aug. 30, 2012.

Michaella said the departure of the man carrying Pe’s passport was reflected on the Cebu Pacific passenger manifest and has also been confirmed by the Vietnam immigration office.

Reyes and his brother, former Coron, Palawan, Mayor Mario Reyes Jr., have standing arrest warrants for being the alleged masterminds in the murder of Ortega, a hard-hitting radio broadcaster in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, who was killed on Jan. 24, 2011.

A bounty of P2 million has been put up for information that would lead to the arrest of the former Palawan governor.

The Reyes brothers managed to leave the country despite an order from Justice Secretary Leila de Lima directing all immigration officers to be on the lookout for them.

A hold-departure order against the two was also issued by Judge Angelo Arizala of the Puerto Princesa Regional Trial Court.

“It is quite apparent that (Reyes’) intent was to evade arrest so as not to face the allegations made against him in the court of law where perhaps he may be unable to prove his claimed innocence,” Michaella said.

She said Reyes’ actions made it clear that he would do anything to avoid trial.