February 27, 2022
Philippines: Despite long legal battle, alleged mastermind behind murder of courageous Filipino journalist still at large
Amsterdam, 28 February 2022 – Substantial flaws were found in the legal procedures in the case of Filipino journalist Gerry Ortega, A Safer World For The Truth finds in its latest investigation. The report also finds that the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Gerry Ortega, former governor of Palawan province Joel T. Reyes, still exerts considerable influence over local authorities in Palawan, and that key witnesses of the case have been endangered or silenced. As a result, justice for the case has remained elusive, sending a frightening message that journalists covering challenging stories on politics and corruption can be silenced with impunity.
"The murder of Gerry Ortega: Justice Delayed; Justice Denied" is the fourth in a series of investigations as part of the A Safer World For The Truth initiative, a project by leading press freedom organisations Free Press Unlimited, Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists that investigates murders through a series of cold case investigations, ongoing advocacy efforts, and the People’s Tribunal on the Murder of Journalists.
The murder of Gerry Ortega is indicative of structural problems concerning the safety of journalists in the Philippines; while the hitmen are often arrested, the powerful masterminds behind the killings of journalists often evade justice.
Attacks on the media have escalated under President Duterte, but the Philippines has long been a dangerous country for journalists. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) noted that Ortega was the 142nd journalist to be killed since 1986. The country has also consistently ranked high on CPJ’s Impunity Index, coming in as the seventh worst country in 2021.
Gerry Ortega was a prominent broadcast journalist and environmental activist in the province of Palawan. Ortega’s work: informing the public on graft and corruption within the provincial government, made him a target for those in power. He was not afraid to openly criticize local politicians such as then-governor Joel T. Reyes for their corruption, publicly opposing Palawan mining projects.
The report finds that the alleged mastermind, Joel T. Reyes, a former Palawan governor with considerable influence in the region, has escaped justice for more than a decade. More than 10 years following Ortega’s murder, multiple legal decisions have delayed the case, which has left Ortega’s family without justice or answers. The ensuing decades-long legal battle has also exposed them and key witnesses to safety risks. The suspicious death of a key witness and recent attack on another witness, as detailed in the investigation, are key examples of how those involved in the case have been silenced as well.
One of the more concerning findings of the report is the flaws during the legal procedures such as the First Panel of Prosecutors rejecting important independent and supporting evidence that evidenced Joel T. Reyes to have masterminded the murder. The investigation further sheds light on how Joel T. Reyes still exerts considerable influence over local public officials in Palawan, as he runs for office in upcoming elections this year.
In light of these findings, A Safer World for the Truth makes a series of concrete recommendations that must be taken in order to achieve justice for Gerry Ortega and to prevent future impunity in cases of journalist murders in the Philippines. These include urging the Department of Justice of the Republic of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to prioritize holding Reyes accountable, by ensuring that the Criminal Investigation Division Group that forms part of the Philippine National Police, and acts on his arrest warrant; and that the Department of Justice of the Republic of the Philippines should regularly monitor and evaluate cases of journalist murders to ensure a speedy investigation and effective response to any gaps in the investigation and prosecution of these cases.
The report also puts forth that the international community has a role to play, in ending impunity for the murder of Gerry Ortega by creating sustained public pressure, and monitoring the progress on the prosecution of the suspected mastermind Joel T. Reyes. When requested by Philippine authorities or Gerry Ortega’s family, resources and expertise should be made available by the international community to spur the investigation and prosecution.
Jos Bartman, Lead Researcher of the investigation, Free Press Unlimited (FPU), states:
"It has been 10 years since the murder of Gerry Ortega. This case represents a much broader problem of powerful local actors being able to escape justice after a journalist is murdered. After 10 years, the delay of justice becomes the denial of justice. With this investigation, we aim to contribute to justice for Gerry Ortega and his family. The lessons learned should provide opportunities to let justice prevail immediately in future cases of journalist murders."
Shawn Crispin, Southeast Asia Representative, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), states:
"Gerry Ortega's unsolved murder is emblematic of the Philippines' wholly unresolved impunity problem in media murder cases. Until full justice is served for Ortega's killing, a climate of fear will endure for all Filipino journalists who report on important issues like local corruption and official abuse of power. How many more Gerry Ortegas must there be before Philippine authorities take the nation's impunity problem seriously?"
Daniel Bastard, Asia-Pacific Director, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), states:
“Since the beginning of Duterte’s term, the Philippines has dropped 11 places and currently finds itself on 136th place on the Reporters Without Borders 2021 World Press Freedom Ranking. Change needs to happen. I support the call for the establishment of a new Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the Safety of Journalists. For the important case of Gerry Ortega, a UN Special Representative could stay in regular contact with the Department of Justice of the Republic of the Philippines to encourage them to take up the case.”
Previous investigations and recommendations can be found here.
ENGLISH: The full investigation, in English, can be downloaded here.