It’s about time, too. The case has been in the courts for nearly a decade from the time the remains of Alona Bacolod was found in Cebu City to Ecleo’s violent arrest in Dinagat Island. Numerous delays and the juggling of judges have eventually led to today’s scheduled promulgation.
Unless there is a sudden emergency or yet another court holiday, which we doubt, Regional Trial Court Judge Soliver Peras is expected to make known the ruling. Ecleo’s lawyers can’t delay the case further.
If anything, the Bacolod family deserves to be given justice for Alona’s death, a sense of closure to a harrowing tragedy that will continue to haunt them for the rest of their lives. Sooner or later, someone will pay and we only hope the perpetrators will be held accountable for their sake.
The more immediate concern will be Ecleo’s arrest. So far, the government has not even located the cult leader whose headquarters in Dinagat was raided by police following his constant refusal to turn himself in.
His immunity as congressman of Dinagat Island was removed after the Sandiganbayan found him guilty of corruption for a construction project he implemented during his tenure as mayor in his island state.
Ecleo may command a formidable following of fanatics ready to sacrifice themselves but the government is no pushover with the resources and personnel at their disposal.
But where is he now and why hasn’t he been brought in? Exactly how serious a security threat is Ecleo now?
They can and should arrest Ecleo immediately. The Ampatuans have been reeled in, the military waged war on the communist rebels, the Abu Sayaff bandits and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and even former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been placed under hospital arrest.
So what gives? It’s probably too late to bring Ecleo to personally witness the court decision on his case. If the ruling is adverse, expect him to hole up in Dinagat if he hasn’t already. He may also plan to leave the country ala Arroyo.
We could only hope that a hold-departure order is issued against Ecleo to prevent him from escaping abroad, which makes it all the more important to locate him now. If the Aquino administration is sincere about its crackdown on corruption and erring officials, they should also start on people like Ecleo.