Ecleo asks SC to stop arrest order

MANILA, Philippines –  Dinagat Islands Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr. asked the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday to stop his arrest on orders of the Sandiganbayan.

The head of the religious group Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) was found guilty of three counts of violating Republic Act 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for the construction of a public market, a new municipal building and a guesthouse when he was mayor of San Jose, Surigao del Norte 20 years ago.

Ecleo said the Sandiganbayan’s decision is premised on the disposition of only two cases which have reached the SC.

It failed to take into account the fact that a third petition is pending with the SC, he added.

Ecleo’s two co-accused, former municipal planning and development coordinator Anadelia Navarra and businessman Ricardo Santillano, were convicted of two counts of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The anti-graft court found Ecleo to have favored Santillano of PBMA Builders when he disbursed P4 million as payment for the construction of a public market that was unfinished.

Auditors valued the finished portion of the public market at only P3.56 million.

Prosecutors also questioned the overpayment to PBMA Builders in the amount of P3.85 million.

The contract price was only P3.68 million, and a mere 37.38 percent of the project, valued at only P1.44 million, was accomplished.

Ecleo was also found to have released P300,000 for the repair of a building owned by the PBMA Women’s League, a private group.

The Sandiganbayan denied Ecleo’s motion to be granted a new trial in February 2009.