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http://news.ph.msn.com/regional/article_old.aspx?cp-documentid=5988322

By Agence France-Presse, Updated: 3/13/2012

Ex-Philippine governor charged with murder

Philippine prosecutors said Tuesday they had charged an ex-governor over the murder of a high-profile environment activist and journalist, reversing a decision to exonerate him that caused outrage.

The decision to charge Joel Reyes over last year's murder of Gerry Ortega followed an intense social media-driven campaign by the victim's family, friends, church and media groups.

The Department of Justice prosecutors said their decision to reverse the finding that cleared Reyes, a former governor of Palawan province, as well as his brother and three others, arose because new evidence had been uncovered.

"It is believed that the radio commentaries of Dr. Ortega, who is also a keen environmental activist, against Reyes... served as motive for the conspiracy to murder him," the panel said in a written resolution.

Ortega, a veterinarian known widely as "Doc Gerry", was shot dead in a clothes shop in Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, shortly after he had finished hosting a radio talkback programme in January last year.

In his daily programme, Ortega had repeatedly accused Reyes of massive corruption in his time as governor, particularly the alleged misuse of hundreds of millions of dollars from the nation's major gas field just off Palawan.

Ortega also railed against mining activities approved by Reyes that he said damaged Palawan, which has a reputation as one of the most pristine in the Philippines.

An earlier panel of prosecutors who handled the case cleared Reyes of the crime, despite the hitman being caught immediately after the murder and authorities tracing ownership of the gun to a close aide of the ex-governor.

Police had also quickly arrested a lower-ranking member of the alleged conspiracy who turned state-witness, implicating Reyes, but prosecutors initially ruled this was not enough to pursue the ex-governor.

Following the lobbying campaign by Ortega's family and others, the justice department replaced the prosecution panel and ordered a reinvestigation of the case, which led to Tuesday's ruling.

Ortega's family and other campaigners said the initial decision to clear Reyes had reinforced the country's infamous "culture of impunity", where powerful figures are rarely punished for committing crimes.

Reyes has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer did not return phone calls when contacted by AFP on Tuesday.