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Sandigan orders arrest of ‘Supreme Master’ Ecleo
In a resolution dated Jan. 28, 2011, the Sandiganbayan First Division issued a new warrant of arrest against the lawmaker after the Supreme Court affirmed last November the anti-graft court’s decision to convict Ecleo and two other local officials for graft. (See: Cult leader Ecleo gets 31 years in jail for graft)
Ecleo was convicted for his alleged involvement in anomalous construction deals when he was still mayor of San Jose town in Surigao del Norte from 1991 to 1994.
“Considering the recent issuances of the Supreme Court…which wrote finis to the instant cases, and considering further the previous Resolution of this Court on June 21, 2010 ordering the issuance of warrant of arrest against all three accused and confiscation of their respective binds, the Court hereby resolves to reiterate its aforesaid ruling. Wherefore, let warrants of arrest issue anew against all the accused," the Court said in its resolution.
Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr. is a high-profile politician who has landed in top news stories in the past decade.
Group leader. Ecleo is "supreme master" of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA). In 1964, the late Ruben Ecleo Sr. formally organized PBMA with his followers in Ozamiz City. On October 19, 1965, the PBMA, Inc. established its legal personality by registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This paved the way for the growth of its membership throughout the Philippines and abroad. It claims a membership of one million.
Political family. His mother is Surigao del Norte Governor Glenda Ecleo. Other relatives occupy key positions in municipalities that comprise the Dinagat islands. These include Gwendolyn Ecleo-Durano, Alan IB Ecleo and Ruben Al B. Ecleo.
National attention. He gained national attention when 22 of his followers and a policeman were killed in a firefight in June 2002 at the PBMA compound in Dinagat island off Surigao del Norte. Police and military forces then were trying to arrest him as a suspect in the brutal murder of his wife, Alona Bacolod Ecleo, and her parents. Unharmed, he surrendered shortly after the incident.
Murder case. The family of his murdered wife pointed to Ecleo as the prime suspect. They alleged that Alona’s constant nagging about Ecleo’s addiction to methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, had reportedly led him to murder her. He got his provisional liberty after posting P1 million bail.
Graft case His co-accused, private contractor Ricardo Santillano of PBMA Builders and former municipal planning and development coordinator Anadelia Navarra, were each found guilty on two counts of graft and sentenced to serve 12 to 21 years in jail. Together with Ecleo, they were ordered to jointly indemnify the municipal government the amount of P2.86 million equivalent to unlawful payments made to PBMA Builders. A fourth defendant, former municipal treasurer Arsenia Orejas, remains at large and is a subject or warrants issued by the graft court.
The bench warrant, issued last Wednesday by Associate Justices Rodolfo A. Ponferrada, Rafael R. Lagos and Efren N. dela Cruz, division chairman, is expected to be served by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The Sandiganbayan held Ecleo liable for the fraudulent disbursement of government funds used in the construction of a public market, a new municipal building, and a guesthouse. Inspectors found that the public market and the supposed new municipal building were mere “concrete-and-steel skeletons" while the purported guesthouse turned out to be a private structure. (See: Sandigan junks Ecleo's bid to reopen graft case)
He, however, was able to evade arrest for some time after the anti-graft court allowed him provisional liberty for the duration of his appeal.
During the May 2010 polls, Ecleo won as representative of the lone district of Dinagat Islands, whose declaration as a province was struck down last year by the Supreme Court for failure to comply with land area requirements.
Ecleo hit the headlines when he was linked to the brutal slaying of his third wife, Alona Bacolod, whose decomposing body was found on January 5, 2002 wrapped in a black garbage bag and dumped in a ravine.
In June 2002, the Philippine Benevolent Missionary Association, of which Ecleo acted as the so-called “Supreme Leader," clashed with police and Army units when authorities tried to arrest him.
A policeman and 22 of Ecleo's followers were killed in the firefight. Ecleo currently has a parricide case pending before a Cebu court in connection with his wife's killing.
House needs to act 'decisively'
The Sandiganbayan ruling prompted Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III to say Ecleo cannot invoke parliamentary immunity to shield him from the arrest, since the penalty for the charges lodged against him exceeds six years of jail term.
“He can be arrested. He is not covered by parliamentary immunity," Tañada told GMA News in an interview Thursday.
Tañada added that the Lower House would have to wait for a copy of the decision before taking steps to expel the convicted lawmaker.
“As of now, he is not yet stricken out of the rolls," he said. “We would have to have a copy of the final decision with regard to his case. Once we are able to confirm such a decision, then a motion in the floor will be in order to have his name removed from the rolls of the House."
Tañada likewise said that members of the House should immediately act “decisively" so that Ecleo’s arrest would not affect the image of the lower chamber.
“As long as the House asks decisively on these cases, it would show that we do not tolerate acts of criminality in the halls of Congress," he said.
This early, however, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. declared that the Lower House will not stop the arrest of Ecleo, adding that the Mindanao lawmaker cannot seek refuge in the House.
“We will not stop the serving of the warrant," Belmonte told reporters also on Thursday.
Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas echoed the position of his House colleagues.
“The House will not interfere in the administration of justice. It will not even be involved in turning him over as anyone who has been convicted with finality must voluntarily turn himself over to the court that granted him bail or he becomes a fugitive from justice," said Fariñas.
Expulsion proceedings to begin
As this developed, the Lower House said it will start expulsion proceedings against Ecleo, even as there are questions on how it should go.
House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II said the House can just remove Ecleo’s name from the list of 283 legislators upon receiving the court’s notice, just like what it did when former Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Romeo Jalosjos was convicted for rape.
“If the penalty imposed includes the accessory penalty of perpetual and absolute disqualification to hold any public office, [and] I think it does, as soon as the House of Representatives receives certificate of finality of judgment, his name will be deleted from the roll, parang ‘yung kay Jalosjos [just like in the case of Jalosjos]," Gonzales said.
Fariñas, however, believes the expulsion process will have to start at the House committee on ethics.
“If the decision convicting him becomes final, that will be a ground for his expulsion. The [House] ethics committee will take action motu proprio (on its own initiative)," Fariñas said.- With Jerrie M. Abella/KBK/MRT/JV, GMA News
