Gerry Ortega
Gerardo Valeriano Ortega DVM, better known simply as "Doc Gerry" or "Ka Gerry," was a Filipino journalist, veterinarian, politician, environmental activist, and community organizer best known for his work to promote crocodile farming in the Philippines and for his advocacy against mining on the island of Palawan. Ortega has often been lauded as a hero of the Philippine Environment since his assassination on January 24, 2011, due to his anti-mining and anti-corruption advocacy.
Personal life and education
Ortega was born on August 28, 1963, to Rafael "Totoy" Ortega, who was the municipal mayor of Aborlan, in the island province of Palawan. Gerry Ortega earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Gregorio Araneta University Foundation near Manila. In 1988, he married Patria Gloria "Patty" Innocencio in a church wedding in Bulacan. They later had five children. The eldest, Mika Ortega, worked as an Information, education, and communication officer of ABS-CBN Foundation's Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig.Ortega was a devout Roman Catholic and was one of the local leaders of the Catholic group, Couples for Christ, in Palawan.
Crocodile farming pioneer (1988–2001)
In 1988, Ortega began working at the Crocodile Farming Institute in Irawan, Puerto Princesa, Palawan. In 1989, he became the institute's director.At the time, many thought the Crocodile Farm project, which was run by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, would never succeed. But Ortega and his team made it not only viable but globally known. Ortega and his team at the CFI also received considerable media attention over catching the largest saltwater crocodile in the country.
In 1993 the CFI came up with the idea of farming out their crocodiles. The idea sparked considerable interest, and over 80 potential crocodile farmers applied. Nineteen of these were in attendance on February 1 to 3, 1999, when Ortega hosted the “Orientation on the Establishment of Crocodile Farms in the Philippines.” After screening applicants, the CFI gave 6 crocodile farmers their first crocodiles in early 2000. Ortega's initiative thus represented the birth of the crocodile industry in the Philippines.
Political career (2001–2004)
Ortega resigned from his post at Crocodile Farm in time to run for a position in the Provincial Board of Palawan during the elections of 2001. He won and held that post until 2004.It was during this time that Ortega is said to have first gained access to "information and documents about widespread corruption in the provincial government of Palawan." As a result, Ortega became "the foremost critic of then Governor Mario Joel T. Reyes."
In 2004, Ortega ran for Governor of Palawan, under a good governance platform where he lost to Governor Reyes.
Environmental advocacy and community organizing (2004–2011)
Uncertain about their future career, given the political and economic situation in the Philippines, he and his wife Patty briefly considered taking a job abroad.Sometime later that year, the ABS-CBN Foundation recruited Ortega to become project director of Bantay Kalikasan-Palawan.
Sustainable ecotourism
In his capacity as project director of Bantay Kalikasan-Palawan, Ortega spearheaded the establishment of five community-based sustainable tourism sites operated by the community and for the community.Ortega explained the way these projects were structured to Philippine Star journalist Faizza Farinna Tanggol on January 22, 2011:
The five eco-tourism projects spearheaded by Bantay-Kalikasan Palawan under Ortega are:
- the Bacungan River Cruise;
- Snorkeling in Honda Bay and island-hopping at the Pambato Reef Dalubkaragatan;
- Dolphin- and Whale-watching in Puerto Princesa Bay;
- Firefly watching on the Iwahig River; and
- Ugong Rock Rock Climb and Zip Line.
Journalism (2004–2011)
Death threats
By late 2009, Ortega had begun regularly receiving death threats because of the hard-hitting nature of his radio programs, at one point prompting the family to get a bodyguard for him. Puerto Princesa City Former Mayor Edward Hagedorn revealed that Ortega was especially concerned when at one point the threats extended to his daughters.The "Ten Million Signatures for the Banning of Mining in Palawan" campaign
In January 2011, Ortega, together with Bantay Kalikasan decided to launch a broad campaign against mining in Palawan, in response to the approval of large scale mining by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development the month before.Ortega was getting ready to travel to Manila for the launching of the Ten Million Signatures Campaign for the banning of mining operations in the province of Palawan when he was assassinated.
Assassination
At around 10:30 in the morning of January 24, 2011, Ortega had just finished broadcasting on his morning show "Ramatak" for Radyo Mo Nationwide's Palawan station dwAR-FM, and was supposed to prepare for a scheduled journey to Manila to promote the Ten Million Signatures campaign. He stopped at an "ukay-ukay" thrift store in Puerto Princesa.It was here that a gunman came up behind Ortega, and shot him in the back of the head.
Initial arrests
After a brief chase, police apprehended the alleged shooter, Marlon Recamata, who confessed to the crime at the Puerto Princesa Police Office.Recamata originally claimed that the motivation for the killing was simply robbery, but numerous parties including the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Asian Human Rights Commission, Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn, and ABS CBN's Bantay Kalikasan, through its head Gina Lopez, pointed out that this was unlikely, given the way the murder was conducted, the fact that Ortega did not present himself as someone likely to be worth robbing. Recamata also implicated three others in his statements: Rodolfo O. Edrad Jr., Dennis C. Aranas, and Armando R. Noel. Recamata pleaded guilty to murder charges on February 11, 2011. The case was heard at the Puerto Princesa trial court. He was convicted in 2016 and sentenced to reclusion perpetua.
A second suspect, Percival Lecias, was invited for questioning by the Puerto Princesa office of the National Bureau of Investigation on January 25, 2011.
Dennis Aranas was arrested in Coron, Palawan, three days after the assassination, on January 28, 2011. He also confessed to the crime at the Puerto Princesa Police Office.
Edrad surrendered to Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn in Lucena, Quezon, on February 5, 2011, and Hagedorn brought him to the National Bureau of Investigation NBI headquarters in Manila. Armando Noel surrendered to the NBI at their Taft Avenue headquarters on February 10, 2011. Both Edrad and Noel confessed to the crime before the NBI.
Another suspect, Edwin Arandia gave himself up on February 27, 2011, to Fr. Robert Reyes who accompanied him to the NBI.
Further investigation
The police found the.45 caliber pistol Recamata had allegedly used to kill Ortega in a trash bin along the road, where Recamata had thrown it while trying to escape. Upon examination, it was found to be registered to former Palawan provincial administrator Romeo M. Seratubias. A man named Arturo Regalado later surrendered to the authorities, claiming he had purchased the gun from Seratubias.In the confession he gave the NBI in Manila, Edrad implicated in Ortega's murder former Marinduque Governor Jose Antonio N. Carrion and former Palawan Governor Joel T. Reyes. Edrad said he was a former bodyguard to Carrion and Joel Reyes. Edrad also implicated former Coron, Palawan Mayor Mario T. Reyes Jr., and Arturo Regalado, the man who bought the gun from Atty. Seratubias.
Governor Reyes later denied having hired Edrad as a security aide, while Governor Carrion, who said Edrad was indeed a former security aide, denied ever talking to Edrad about any plot.
Dismissal of charges by First Panel against alleged masterminds
Before criminal charges can be filed, prosecutors must determine if there is reasonable evidence against the accused. In a resolution dated June 8, 2011, a panel of prosecutors from the Philippines' Department of Justice dismissed criminal charges filed against former Marinduque Governor Jose Antonio N. Carrion, former Palawan Gov. Mario Joel T. Reyes, former Palawan Mayor Mario T. Reyes, former provincial administrator Atty. Romeo Serratubias, Arturo Regalado, and Percival B. Lecias, citing "insufficiency of evidence".The same resolution said that there was probable cause to charge Rodolfo Edrad Jr., Armando Noel, Dennis Aranas, and Arwin Arandia with murder.
On July 1, 2011, Patty Ortega filed a 47-page motion for reconsideration at the Department of Justice, asking the investigating panel to recommend that charges be filed against Reyes and the five others who had been absolved by the panel, arguing that those she alleged to be the "masterminds and principals" behind the killing ought to be charged, not just the ones who were charged, whom she referred to as "pawns whose participation in the murder were merely at best as accessories."