P50T set to aid Alona DNA test

The Cebu City government has set aside another P50,000 for the completion of the DNA analysis on the late Alona Bacolod who was strangled to death in January 2002 allegedly by her husband Ruben Ecleo Jr., leader of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association.

In its regular session last Wednesday, the city council adopted the proposed resolution of councilor Sylvan "Jack" Jakosalem covering such proposed measure to give P50,000 funds representing the city's financial aid to the Bacolod family.

The city's financial assistance stemmed from a letter of non-government organization Crusade Against Violence national vice president Thelma Chiong and noted by Alona's brothers, Niño, Ricky and Josebil, addressed to the city government last June 3, seeking for additional funds to complete the DNA analysis of Alona's body.

The city had in the past granted P40,000 for the same purpose, but the said amount was reportedly not enough because Phase 1 of the process already costs P40,000, as shown in the statement of account faxed by the National Science Research Institute.

Meanwhile, the scheduled hearing yesterday morning for the motion to defer taking of DNA samples with motion to direct the prosecution to advance payment of expenses filed by the defense was cancelled after the prosecution said they would not argue on it.

The defense filed an urgent motion to defer the taking of DNA samples citing that, "it would be futile exercise to take samples from Ecleo and his children if subsequently any of the examining agencies could render and submit a report or findings on the analysis using the DNA from the Bacolod siblings as reference samples."

Thus it asked the court to first have the examining agencies submit its report on the DNA tests done on the Bacolod siblings and Alona's cadaver. But the lack of funds hampered the completion of the DNA tests.

And since it was the prosecution that asked for the DNA samples of Ecleo and his children, the defense moved for the prosecution to shoulder the expenses of the accused.

To this the prosecution lawyers said that "if the accused complains of expenses, that is the price he has to pay for the bail that he had asked for. Otherwise, if he complains of expenses, this Honorable Court will just return him back to jail where he will not ask for any expenses to comply with orders."