The homicide of Gerry Ortega: Justice Delayed; Justice Denied is the fourth in a collection of investigations as a part of the A Safer World For The Reality initiative, a venture by main press freedom organizations Free Press Limitless (FPU), Reporters With out Borders (RSF), and the Committee to Shield Journalists (CPJ) that investigates murders via a collection of chilly case investigations, ongoing advocacy efforts, and the Folks’s Tribunal on the Homicide of Journalists.
Gerry Ortega was discovered useless on 24 January, 2011, in Palawan, a province positioned within the West or the Philippine archipelago. His homicide indicative of structural issues in regards to the security of journalists within the Philippines: whereas the hitmen are sometimes arrested, the highly effective masterminds behind the killings of journalists typically evade justice.
Assaults on the media have escalated beneath President Rodrigo Duterte, however the Philippines has lengthy been a harmful nation for journalists. The Nationwide Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) famous that Ortega was the 142nd journalist to be killed since 1986. The nation has additionally persistently ranked excessive on CPJ’s Impunity Index, coming in because the seventh worst nation in 2021.
Flaws
Gerry Ortega was a outstanding broadcast journalist, with a particular deal with environmental points within the province of Palawan. Ortega’s work informing the general public on graft and corruption inside the provincial authorities made him a goal for these in energy. He was not afraid to overtly criticize native politicians reminiscent of then-governor Joel T. Reyes for alleged corruption, publicly opposing Palawan mining initiatives.
The report finds that alleged mastermind Reyes –who has appreciable affect within the Palawan area– has escaped justice for greater than a decade. Greater than 10 years after Ortega’s homicide, a number of authorized choices have delayed the case, which has left Ortega’s household with out justice or solutions. The drawn-out authorized battle has additionally uncovered them and key witnesses to security dangers. The suspicious loss of life of a key witness and up to date assault on one other, as detailed within the investigation, are essential examples of how these concerned within the case have been silenced as properly.
One of many extra regarding findings of the report are the issues throughout the authorized procedures, such because the rejection by the First Panel of Prosecutors of essential impartial and supporting proof that Reyes masterminded the homicide. The report additional sheds gentle on how Reyes nonetheless exerts appreciable affect over native public officers in Palawan, as he runs for workplace in upcoming elections this 12 months.
Common monitoring by the DoJ is required
In gentle of those findings, A Safer World For The Reality recommends a number of concrete steps that should be taken with a view to obtain justice for Ortega and to forestall impunity in future circumstances of journalist murders within the Philippines. These embrace urging the Philippine Nationwide Police to prioritize holding Reyes accountable by making certain that the Felony Investigation Division Group that varieties a part of the Nationwide Police acts on his arrest warrant. The report additionally urges the Philippine Division of Justice (DoJ) to repeatedly monitor and consider circumstances of journalist murders to make sure a speedy investigation and efficient response to any gaps within the prosecution of those circumstances
The report additionally places forth that the worldwide group has a job to play in ending impunity for Ortega’s homicide by creating sustained public strain and monitoring the progress of the prosecution of Reyes. When requested by Philippine authorities or Ortega’s household, assets and experience must be made out there by the worldwide group to spur the investigation and prosecution.
Jos Bartman, lead researcher of the investigation at FPU (FPU), states: “It has been 10 years because the homicide of Gerry Ortega. This case represents a wider drawback of highly effective native actors with the ability to escape justice after a journalist is murdered. After 10 years, the delay of justice turns into the denial of justice. With this investigation we goal to contribute to justice for Gerry Ortega and his household. The teachings discovered ought to present alternatives to let justice prevail instantly in future circumstances of journalist murders.”
Shawn Crispin, CPJ senior Southeast Asia consultant, states: “Gerry Ortega’s unsolved homicide is emblematic of the Philippines’ wholly unresolved impunity drawback in media homicide circumstances. Till full justice is served for Ortega’s killing, a local weather of concern will endure for all Filipino journalists who report on essential points like native corruption and official abuse of energy. What number of extra Gerry Ortegas should there be earlier than Philippine authorities take the nation’s impunity drawback significantly?”
Daniel Bastard, Asia-Pacific director at RSF, states: “Because the starting of Duterte’s time period, the Philippines has dropped 11 locations and presently finds itself on 136th place on the RSF 2021 World Press Freedom Rating. Change must occur. We assist the decision for the institution of a brand new Particular Consultant of the UN Secretary Normal for the Security of Journalists. For the essential case of Gerry Ortega, a UN Particular Consultant may keep in common contact with the Division of Justice of the Republic of the Philippines to encourage them to take up the case.”
Earlier investigations and suggestions could be discovered at https://www.saferworldforthetruth.com/investigations
Press contacts:
CPJ (New York): Gypsy Guillén Kaiser – [email protected]
FPU (Amsterdam): Evelien Wijkstra – [email protected]
RSF (Paris): Pauline Adès-Mével – [email protected]
Spokespeople can be found for interviews in English, French, Spanish and Dutch