MANILA – Former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes, whom the Court of Appeals recently released over the objections of the family of murdered broadcaster-environmentalist Gerry Ortega, has been ordered re-arrested — but not over the assassination seven years ago.
The Sandiganbayan’s Third Division ordered Reyes’ re-arrest over his earlier conviction by the antigraft court in a case involving an illegal order granting mining permits.
The Third Division also cancelled his bail bond, after granting a motion by the prosecution to order his re-arrest and detention. The prosecution in the graft case said he is a flight risk because he fled to Thailand after the courts ordered his arrest in the Ortega murder case.
In a separate resolution, the Sandiganbayan rejected Reyes’ motion for reconsideration in the graft case.
The Sandiganbayan also affirmed its earlier judgment finding Reyes guilty of graft for the anomalous grant of a permit to a small- scale mining company in 2006.
Reyes had earlier asked the court to junk the prosecution’s motion to order his re-arrest and cancel his bail for being a flight risk.
