Prosecution seeks Ecleo’s arrest

PROSECUTION lawyers are seeking the arrest of Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr. who has been the subject of at least two warrants of arrest.

Lawyer Alfredo Sipalay said they will request the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to make the request.

“The IBP will come up with two resolutions. First, requesting the police to arrest Ecleo. Second, we want him to be expelled from Congress,” Sipalay told Cebu Daily News.

(It has been reported that Ecleo has been dropped from the House roll after he was convicted for three counts of graft during his stint as mayor of San Jose, Surigao del Norte.)

Ecleo, who took over his mother’s congressional seat representing Surigao del Norte in the 2010 election, is facing arrest in relation to his conviction on three counts of graft for overpricing construction supplies during his stint as mayor of San Jose, Dinagat Island in Surigao del Norte from 1991 to 1994.

The Cebu City court also canceled Ecleo’s P1-million bail in the parricide case over the death of his wife Alona after he failed to attend several hearings.

Ecleo, who is also the supreme master of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, was accused of masterminding Alona’s murder in Jan. 5, 2002.

During yesterday’s court hearing, the prosecution presented former news reporter Minerva Gerodias as its rebuttal witness.

Gerodias, who used to work with Sun.Star Cebu, said she interviewed Alona’s father Elpidio on Jan. 13, 2002.

She said Elpidio told her that Ecleo’s sister wanted to claim the body of the victim while they were at St. Francis Funeral Homes in Cebu City.

Elpidio’s account was published in Sun.Star Cebu’s Jan. 14, 2002 issue.

On cross-examination, Gerodias said she based her story on Elpidio’s statement and wasn’t able to talk with Ecleo’s sister Jade.

The prosecution will present as its last rebuttal witness Thelma Chiong, national vice president of the Crusade Against Violence, on Aug. 24./REPORTER ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL