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| Acrylic on paper - in progress painting by Liz Peterson |
Gerry Ortega, aka "Doc," led a colorful life on the beautiful island of Palawan in the Philippines. He was a veterinarian and crocodile farmer who directed the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center for many years. He was the project director of an eco-tourism company and helped establish many community-led sustainable tourist attractions, including snorkeling and firefly watching. He was also a radio journalist and politician who was very outspoken about corruption and environmental abuse on the island. His last effort to keep Palawan pristine was leading a signature campaign against mining on the island called "Ten Million Signatures for the banning of mining in Palawan." Those who knew him described him as boisterous, devout in his Roman Catholic faith, fun, and larger than life. He cared for his wife and five children, his community and the environment of Palawan with equal zeal.
However, Doc Ortega made some powerful enemies in his expose of government corruption. He received multiple death threats due to the piercing allegations he often made during his radio program as well as his anti-mining stance. In January of 2011, Ortega was fatally shot outside of a thrift store by a gunman later identified as Marlon Recamata. Four other accomplices were either arrested or turned themselves in for planning and executing the murder. One of the suspects, Rodolfo O. Edrad Jr., implicated two powerful government officials as masterminds of the crime, former Palawan governer Mario Joel T. Reyes and his brother and former mayor, Mario T. Reyes. At the time of Ortega's death, he was in the process of investigating massive misappropriation of community funds from the Malampaya National Gas Project and many believe this was motive for his murder. The Reyes brothers fled the Philippines and are currently at large as a charges against them have been investigated and brought before the courts.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Ortega
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