PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — Former Palawan governor Joel T. Reyes is now at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, where he was ordered jailed after surrendering Monday afternoon to the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City.
He was surrendered to the anti-graft court by his lawyer, Atty. Demetrio Custodio, around 4 p.m., where he was received by a sheriff and then brought to the office of the 3rd Division for documentation.
Reyes’ spokesman, Rolando Bonoan Jr., said the Sandiganbayan ordered him to be remanded at Camp Bagong Diwa at about 5:35 p.m.
“He was told there (3rd Division) that they are pleased he presented himself without problems. They told him that while in jail, he can still avail of all legal remedies in the Supreme Court because in Sandiganbayan the decision is final,” he said.
Earlier, Bonoan related that Reyes was deeply saddened by the Sandiganbayan’s decision to rescind the former Palawan governor’s bail for the irregular issuance small-scale mining permits.
“He is very sad. We feel na mukhang may nagma-manipulate nito para ibalik siya sa kulungan. Ito iyong case na na-dismiss na noong araw pa (We feel there is someone manipulating to return him to jail. This case had been dismissed a long time ago). All those who endorsed the mining permits, na-dismiss ang charges sa kanila (the charges against them were all dismissed). Siya lang ang naiwan na convicted samantalang ministerial lang naman ang ginawa niyang pag-pirma (He was the only one left convicted when his signing was only ministerial),” he stated.
On August 29, 2017, Reyes was found guilty by the Sandiganbayan of violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for the anomalous release of the mining permits.
He was allowed to post bail while appealing the ruling, but it was ordered canceled on January 17 by a decision that was written by Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez with the concurrences of Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Bernelito Fernandez.
The decision said this is because Reyes failed to present any persuasive reason to reverse the guilty verdict meted against him in August. (PNA)
