Two of the country’s most popular alleged fugitives former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes insisted during an interview on Friday that he and his brother Mario voluntarily surrendered to authorities in Thailand, after they were flown to the country to face charges of masterminding the murder of Gerry Ortega.
In an interview with local reporters in Palawan, former Gov. Reyes made the claim after teh Palawan Regional Trial Court ordered the brother’s detention at the Puerto Princesa Jail to await trial for the 2011 murder case of a broadcaster and environmentalist Gerry Ortega.
The two Palawan politicians were flown to Puerto Princesa via a commercial flight and whisked away by their police escorts to the sala of presiding Judge Bayani Usman, who issued the commitment order.
According to City Jail Warden Supt. Don Paredes the Reyes brothers will be detained in a newly painted jail cell measuring 5 x 3 x 8 meters with a double deck wooden bed, a toilet and two windows but clarified that they don’t give special treatment, but because of their classification as high risk detainees.
During an interview with the media, ex-governor Reyes insisted that they voluntarily surrendered to Thai authorities.
He vowed to actively cooperate with the regional trial court in order to speed up the murder trial, insisting on his innocence, but declining to comment on how he intended to pursue his defense.