No special election for Ecleo's district

CEBU, Philippines - There will be no special election for the replacement of expelled Dinagat Representative Ruben Ecleo Jr. who has been convicted for various graft charges and for the murder of his wife in 2002.

The House of Representatives has dropped Ecleo from its roster effective May 31 pursuant to an order signed by House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte last Thursday.

House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II already said in reports that there will be no special elections to replace Ecleo who has been in hiding since 2010.

The Commission on Elections also said that a special election is unlikely due to time constraint.

Cebu City Election Officer Marchel Sarno said that the next election is almost at hand so he does not think there is enough time to conduct a special election.

Following the procedure, the national government has to first appropriate a budget for a special election.

“The filing of candidacy is already on October. I don’t think the remaining time before the general election will permit for a special election,” Sarno said.

The other option, Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said last Friday, is for the Congress to appoint a “caretaker” so the constituents of Dinagat will continue to be represented in Congress.

The Congress however is yet to discuss if there is a need to appoint a “caretaker”.

Sarno said that this is a consequence that Dinagat constituents had to face for voting Ecleo despite knowing the charges against him.

Ecleo was sentenced to 40 years in jail and payment of over P26 million to the family of his slain wife Alona. RTC Judge Soliver Peras sentenced him last April 13.

He was also sentenced by the Sandiganbayan to 31 years in prison for graft and corruption. The corruption cases involved various infrastructure projects he implemented when he was the mayor of San Jose, Dinagat Island from 1991 to 1994.

The Supreme Court denied with finality last February his appeal to reverse the Sandiganbayan decision. This upholding of his conviction on various graft cases by SC was the basis of the House to expel him.  (FREEMAN)