Philippine police to investigate ex-governor in journalist killing

Jan 26, 2011, 4:59 GMT

Manila - A former provincial governor is to be investigated for possible involvement in this week's killing of a broadcast journalist in the western Philippines, police said Wednesday.

Gerardo Ortega, 47, was shot dead Monday in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan province, 600 kilometres west of Manila.

A suspect, Marlon Dichaves, was captured shortly after the killing. Police said they found a gun on Dichaves that was used in the killing and was owned by an aide of former Palawan governor Joel Reyes.

Senior Superintendent Rolando Amurao, the provincial police chief, said police would invite Reyes for questioning as soon as he returns from a trip abroad.

Amurao said investigators were also hunting down the alleged lookout in the killing, who was identified as a relative of Reyes' aide.

Dichaves told investigators he would have been paid 150,000 pesos (3,374 dollars) for killing Ortega, a staunch critic of Reyes for alleged corruption, police said.

He said he was given 10,000 pesos as initial payment for the job.

Before his death, Ortega had lambasted Reyes, who lost in last year's elections, for alleged corrupt practices during his term as governor.

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn, who spoke with Dichaves, said politics and vengeance were the motive behind the attack.

'From the initial findings, we know that this is politics and vengeance killing,' he said.

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