Caraga Police Regional Director Alberto Rama Olario announced in a local radio station that former San Jose Mayor and PBMA supreme leader, Ruben Ecleo Jr. is on top of the list of the ten most wanted persons in the region.
Ecleo has been hiding from police authorities since the Cebu Regional Trial Court issued a warrant against him for his alleged involvement in the killing of his wife Alona Bacolod Ecleo.
Alona, whose body was placed in a black garbage bag, was found in a ravine in Dalaguete town, Cebu, last January.
Olario said the PNP hierarchy is also studying the filing of "obstruction to justice" against Surigao del Norte Rep. Glenda Ecleo who failed several times on her promises to turn over her fugitive son to authorities.
Olario is also seeking congressional inquiry on Rep. Ecleo’s liabilities before Congress in harboring a wanted person saying she as a lawmaker must set a good example to her constituents in upholding the law.
He personally went to Dinagat island several times to negotiate for peaceful and non-violent surrender of the PBMA supreme leader. He said he was dismayed of the suddden turn of events, the no surrender of Ecleo, Jr.
"I thought all the while that Rep. Ecleo will commit to her promises because she is no ordinary person and she is a lawmaker at that," laments Olario.
Olario announced a P150,000 reward to anybody who can pinpoint the whereabouts of the fugitive PBMA leader that will lead to his arrest.
The P50,000 bounty will come from PNP Caraga’s Intelligence Funds, while the remaining P100,000 will come from Philippine National Police national headquarters.
Meanwhile, police operatives today in San Jose, Dinagat Island are complaining of the lack of transportation in their house-to-house search for the PBMA’s fugitive supreme leader.
Operatives in the island are requesting augmentation of tranportation facilities such as single motorcycles that can helped them in their manhunt operation against Ruben Ecleo, Jr.
CIDG-7 Chief, Supt. Edwin Diocos also blamed the difficult terrain of the island in locating Ecleo,Jr.as Diocos admits he and his men have still to familiarize very well the Dinagat islands terrain.
Almost 80 percent of the island’s populace are reportedly , PBMA members.
Last week, Olario relieved the entire San Jose Police Force after finding out that majority of them are members of the PBMA.