Ecleo sues fiscal for graft

CEBU CITY — For allegedly letting go of a man accused of stealing the car of cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr., assistant city prosecutor Edilberto Ensomo is now facing graft charges with the Office of the Ombudsman.

Ecleo has charged Ensomo for allegedly refusing to prosecute a man earlier accused of stealing his car.

Ecleo, supreme leader of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, is detained here while awaiting trial for the murder of his wife, Alona Bacolod, last year.

Ecleo alleged that sometime in January 2002, the brothers of Bacolod and six other unidentified men took his Toyota Corolla Sedan from his house.

While he demanded for the return of the car, Bacolod’s brothers Josebel, Niño and Ricky allegedly did not return the vehicle.

Last Jan. 7, members of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division arrested a certain Alexander Pasilaban, who was reportedly caught driving Ecleo’s car.

The next day, Pasilaban was charged and Ensomo was assigned to handle the case.

In the inquest, Ensomo ordered Pasilaban released, saying there was no cause for the charges to prosper because Pasilaban’s arrest was made without a warrant and that the case against him happened a long time ago.

But Ecleo said that by doing so, Ensomo allegedly failed to observe inquest procedures because he failed to prepare a memorandum brief that would indicate the reasons for Pasilaban’s release.

Ecleo added that Ensomo allegedly failed to forward his recommendations to the city or provincial prosecutor for appropriate action.

Ensomo, he said, is liable for dereliction of duty for failing to prosecute Pasilaban even if he (Ensomo) knew he committed the crime.

Ensomo merely shrugged off the charges, saying he is confident the Office of the Ombudsman would dismiss the complaint against him. — Freeman News Service