Ecleo gets life term for parricide

CEBU CITY ,Philippines  – Controversial Dinagat Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr. was found guilty of parricide and sentenced yesterday to life imprisonment for killing his wife, Alona Bacolod Ecleo, over 10 years ago.

Alona was found dead in a ravine in the southern town of Dalaguete on Jan. 12, 2002, a week after she disappeared from their home in Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City on Jan. 5. The couple have three children.

Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Presiding Judge Soliver Peras, in a 200-page decision, also ordered Ecleo to pay Bacolod’s family P26 million as compensation apart from P200,000 in exemplary damages, P200,000 in moral damages, P200,000 as attorney’s fees, and P50,000 as temperate damages aside from the P25.650 million as compensatory damages.

It took the court seven years and six judges to handle the case.

Ecleo’s lawyers filed a motion for bail, calling him a “walking time bomb” in citing his heart condition.

He had been jailed at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center from June 2002 until April 2004 after his bloody arrest in Dinagat Island.

Alona’s brother, Josebil said he is very happy that Ecleo has been finally convicted for his sister’s death, saying she would be finally at peace along with their parents and siblings who were brutally murdered on June 19, 2002.

Ecleo was arrested in Dinagat Island where 16 PBMA members and a policeman also died when members tried to prevent elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group from arresting their leader.

Josebil added that he was very thankful that he was at home on Jan. 5, 2002 because he heard Alona, asking for help. Josebil recalled that when he went to the couple’s bedroom, he saw Ecleo go out shirtless and sweating. He remembered Ecleo giving him a strange and angry look.

After the incident, Josebil recalled seeing Ecleo and his right-hand man, Jorebil Panadero, carrying something wrapped in a black garbage bag and putting it into the compartment of Ecleo’s car.

They are now planning what to do now that Ecleo has finally been convicted. They are planning to offer Mass and visit his sister’s grave.

Ecleo’s lawyer Orlando Salatandre, who was present during the promulgation, said they will be appealing the decision before the Court of Appeals.

He questioned Peras’ decision saying that the burden of proof seems to be on the defense when in fact, the prosecution had to prove Ecleo’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.