The Department of Justice (DOJ) has created a three-member panel of prosecutors to look into the killing last month of Palawan broadcaster Dr. Gerry Ortega, a hard-hitting radio commentator. In a Department Order dated February 7, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the following prosecutors will compose the team and will act as city prosecutors in the provincial capital of Puerto Princesa City:
Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Edwin Dayog as panel chairman, Assisstant State Prosecutor Bryan Jacinto Cacha as member, and Assistant State Prosecutor John Benedict Medina as member. The prosecutors will conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if there is probable cause to file murder charges against former Palawan provincial administrator Remeo Seratubias, one of the suspects in the Ortega's killing. The firearm was initially traced to Seratubias, who had denied any hand in Ortega's death. Seratubia told investigators that he had sold the firearm long before the killing took place. The police said the firearm was sold last January 15 to one Percival Lesias, who sold it to one Nonoy Regalado. The murder complaint was filed by Ortega's wife, Patria Gloria Ortega, before the DOJ. On January 24, Ortega was gunned down in Puerto Princesa City after his radio program for the day. Ortega, 47, was the main news anchor and commentator of Radyo Mo Nationwide's (RMN)'s Palawan station dwAR. Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn earlier said Ortega may have been killed due to his hard-hitting stance against mining operations in Palawan. The so-called missing link the killing Rodolfo Edrad Jr., alleged that former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes planned the killing because of Ortega's commentaries criticizing Reyes’ pro-mining stance. However, on Thursday, Reyes held a press conference to deny that he ordered Ortega gunned down. Edrad, the “bridge" between the gunmen and the masterminds, surrendered to authorities last Saturday in Quezon province, saying he feared for his life. He was tagged as the “Jun-Jun Bomar" who contracted the services of lookout Dennis Aranas and gunman Marlon de Camata to kill Ortega. – VVP, GMA News 
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