Judge affirms decision cancelling Ecleo's bail

CEBU, Philippines - Judge Soliver Peras of Regional Trial Court Branch 10 affirmed its ruling to cancel the P1-million bail of Dinagat Representative Ruben Ecleo, Jr. so the warrant of arrest against him stands.

Peras, in his three-page decision, denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the supreme master of Benevolent Missionaries seeking the reversal of the earlier ruling of the court.

“After going over the arguments raised by the parties this court finds the arguments raised by the defense counsel to be without merit,” the decision reads.

Peras said he ordered Ecleo to undergo a coronary by-pass operation to ease his heart ailment but up to this time, Ecleo’s counsel failed to submit proof of compliance with the court order dated March 8, 2011.

He added that the legal basis of the court to grant the bail of Ecleo was because of his heart aliment, wherein he was described as “a walking time bomb.”

“The fact that no proof had been submitted to this court up to the writing of this order only strengthens the belief and suspicion by the prosecution that his illness has been concocted or fabricated,” decision reads.

Peras also said that even if the court “sympathizes with the legal problems that the accused is now confronted with, but the rules must prevail so that order in the proceedings in the court must be followed by every litigant otherwise, people would no longer believe in the courts and what it stands for.”

Defense lawyer Orlando Salatandre said they will not appeal the decision of the court denying their motion for reconsideration.

“We will not appeal, in fact hapit na mahuman ang case,” he said.

Peras cancelled the bail of Ecleo and issued a warrant of arrest after the latter failed to attend three consecutive scheduled hearing for the parricide case.

In the motion for reconsideration filed by Ecleo through Salatandre, they stated that they have a standing petition before the Supreme Court concerning Ecleo’s conviction for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Sandiganbayan.

They added that the health condition of Ecleo was not good, saying, “Sending him to jail as of this moment when his heart condition has not yet been medically addressed will certainly jeopardize his health, and might lead to any untoward medical problem and even death.”

But, in the opposition filed by the prosecution, they stated the defense made “a rehash of arguments repeatedly made.”

The prosecution added that the defense counsels have lost control over their client.

Ecleo was charged for parricide for allegedly killing his wife, Alona Bacolod-Ecleo, sometime on 2002. – (FREEMAN)