RTC judge Econg decides today on fate of prosecution's evidence

Regional Trial Court judge Geraldine Faith Econg will decide today which of the prosecution's exhibits will be accepted as evidence in court for the parricide case against cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr.

The prosecution, composed of lawyers from the Integrated Bar of The Philippines-Cebu City chapter, earlier submitted several pieces of evidences hoping that the court will accept all of these to ensure the conviction of Ecleo for allegedly killing his wife Alona in 2002.

But defense lawyers Orlando Salatandre and Giovanni Mata have objected to these evidences arguing that these are "immaterial" and "baseless" to the case at bar.

Econg said she was done with her evaluation of the arguments of both parties, based on the case records that have already piled up to almost two feet in thickness.

On March 31, it will be the turn of the defense to present its evidences to refute the allegations and evidences that the prosecution already presented.

Econg is the fourth judge who handled the already four-year-old case since it changed hands from one judge to another. The first three judges before her were Anacleto Caminade, Ireneo Lee Gako, and Generosa Labra, in that order.

Ecleo, formerly the mayor of San Jose town in Dinagat Island of Surigao del Norte province, is the acknowledged head of the Philippine Benevolent Missionary Association. He was arrested and detained for his wife's murder.

Although parricide is a heinous crime and thus non-bailable, Ecleo got out of jail after the court allowed him to put up a P1-million bail bond for his temporary liberty.

His lawyers succeeded in convincing the court to grant him bail, based on the argument that he was seriously ill, of which his continued detention will be fatal to him, if not even detrimental to his health.