Court to inspect Ecleo house in Banawa anew

CEBU, Philippines - In the continuation of the hearing of the parricide case against Ruben Ecleo Jr., Regional Trial Court Judge Soliver Peras has agreed to inspect Ecleo’s house in Forest Hills Banawa where the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association Supreme Master allegedly killed his wife Alona in 2002.

RTC Judge Generosa Labra also inspected the place during the early stages of the case this past decade. Peras is the latest judge to handle the controversial case.

Prosecution lawyer Alfredo Sipalay suggested that the court conduct an ocular inspection so that Peras will have first hand knowledge of the structure of the house.

The suggestion for an ocular inspection came following the testimony of Alona’s brother, Josebil Bacolod, who said he heard his sister shout for help from his room around 9:30 pm on January 5, 2002. He said his sister’s shouts prompted him to rush to the master’s bedroom where Ecleo and Alona were staying.

There, he reportedly saw Ecleo shirtless and drenched in sweat.

“I stay in the house of my sister Alona in Banawa as she offered me to stay there… and on January 4 and 5, 2002 I was inside their house and knew what’s going on in there,” Josebil said.

Prosecutors presented Josebil to refute Ecleo’s earlier testimony that there were visitors in the house in the evening of January 5, 2002, thus, it was impossible for him to have committed the crime. Josebil said they did not have visitors at that time.

He also disclosed that Ecleo had directed him to buy shabu the night before the incident. He said he refused to heed the order because he did not know where to buy, but Ecleo allegedly gave him instructions. Ecleo allegedly gave him P7,000 for the drug.

Josebil first testified in court in 2003. The rebuttal will be continued on June 15, 2011. — (FREEMAN)