Court cancels P1-M bail posted by lawmaker accused of killing wife

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Regional Trial Court here has ordered the cancellation of the P1-million bail posted by Dinagat Island Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr., who is facing parricide charges for the murder of his wife in 2002.

Judge Soliver Peras of RTC Branch 10 will ask the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Caraga to arrest Ecleo following the cancellation of his bail.

Peras’ decision stemmed from Ecleo’s failure to attend the hearing of the parricide case last Thursday where he has been accused of killing his wife Alona Bacolod on Jan. 5, 2002.

This was the third time that Ecleo didn’t show up in the hearing despite the stern warning from the court.

Defense lawyer Orlando Salatandre had asked the court to cancel the hearing Wednesday because Ecleo was confronted with legal problems in relation to his conviction on graft charges.

But the court didn’t grant the request.

“The court observes that the legal problem raised by the accused is a simple matter that could be solved if he surrenders himself to authorities,” Peras said in open court.

“It is the opinion of this court that the hearings of this court cannot be held hostage. The court sees no valid grounds to sustain the motion to cancel the hearing today,” he added.

“It is the policy of this court to apply the law on all parties whether poor or rich one,” the court said.

Salatandre said he would file a motion, asking Peras to reconsider his decision to cancel the bail.

The prosecution has asked the court to cancel the P1-million bail granted to Ecleo in 2004 by Cebu RTC Judge Generosa Labra of Branch 23. Seven years ago, Ecleo’s lawyers presented to the court doctors who described Ecleo as a “walking time bomb who might drop dead anytime” because of “severe heart ailment.”

But until now, Ecleo has not undergone a heart bypass. The “supreme master” of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association even won a seat in the lone congressional district on Dinagat Island.

Judge Peras has given Ecleo until May 8 to undergo heart bypass.

He also asked the bonding company to present Ecleo in court within 30 days, otherwise the surety deposit would be forfeited in favor of government.

Peras had repeatedly warned Ecleo that his bail would be cancelled if he failed to attend the hearings and to undergo a heart bypass.

He also issued a hold departure order, directing the managers of all airports not to allow Ecleo to leave the country without clearance from the court.

Salatandre earlier told the court that Ecleo’s other legal problem made it difficult for his client to show up in the hearing of his parricide case.

The Supreme Court earlier dismissed Ecleo’s appeal to reverse his conviction on three counts of graft filed in October 2006 for his role in the anomalous multi-million-peso fund disbursement for various infrastructure projects while serving as town mayor of San Jose, Surigao del Norte, from 1991 to 1994.

Instead, the high court upheld his jail term of 18 to 31 years and a perpetual bar on him from holding public positions.