NBI: Another suspect in Palawan radioman's slay in custody

At least one more key suspect in the Jan. 24 killing of Palawan broadcaster Gerardo Ortega is now in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and has given authorities more information about the killing. NBI Palawan field office head Rosauro Bautista on Thursday described the suspect, Arturo "Nonoy" Regalado, as a former aide of former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes, who had earlier denied any role in the killing. "Siya po yung napag-utusan na maghanap ng baril sa Palawan. Mahirap dalhin ang baril from Manila, sila ang nagpakuha ng baril sa Palawan," Bautista said in an interview on dzRH radio. (He was tasked to find a firearm in Palawan for the killing. The mastermind had figured it would be difficult to bring in a firearm from Metro Manila, so the mastermind had him procure a firearm in Palawan.)

Regalado was allegedly the buyer of a firearm originally owned by lawyer Romeo Seratubias, one of at least five people charged for the killing. Also charged were gunman Marlon de Camata, lookout Dennis Aranas, "recruiter" Rodolfo Edrad Jr., and Armando Noel Loria. Police arrested De Camata shortly after the shooting, while Aranas was arrested days later. De Camata and Aranas pointed to Edrad as the one who recruited them. For his part, Reyes denied any role in the killing, even as he said he is conducting his own investigation. He described Edrad, who had linked him to the killing, as a "polluted" witness. "Medyo polluted na yata yun (He is a polluted witness)," he said on dzRH radio. But a separate report on dzRH said Ortega's wife was convinced Reyes was the mastermind of the crime. The report quoted Ortega's widow Patty as saying that Ortega had been a hard-hitting critic of supposed irregularities when Reyes was Palawan governor. - KBK, GMA News