Seares: Not Alona? Then whom did Ecleo allegedly murder?

THE trial of Ruben Ecleo Jr., congressman and cult leader, for the death of his wife Alona Bacolod-Ecleo, has taken many a twist and turn.

Running more than eight years now, since Jan. 8, 2002 when Alona's body stuffed in a trash bag was recovered, the murder case has produced side stories enough to fill a full-blown telenovela.

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The charge in court is parricide, the murder of one's spouse. Still, it is a murder like no other because of the other episodes it has spawned.

No other whodunit had these bloody and riveting sidelights: Ecleo was arrested only after a police raid in which 23 cultists were killed. Alona's brother, a murder witness, and three other family members were massacred by a lone gunman, a cultist, whom police shot dead. A criminal case was filed in a Cebu town with another cultist owning up the same crime of which Ecleo is accused. A group of cultists were arrested with a cache of firearms. A woman private prosecutor was gunned down in her home.

Common elements

Ecleo's link to the incidents wasn’t proved despite the common elements: Ecleo, Alona's death, the Bacolods, and cult members.

Now a bizarre note as the defense presented its star witness Wednesday: Ecleo himself. Ecleo said the murdered woman wasn't Alona and he didn't kill her.

One recalls the case of Fr. Rudy Romano who was abducted in 1985 and was never seen again. The military said the priest must have fled with a girl friend.

Like Fr. Rudy's, Alona's soul may not find peace. That would be as saddening as not finding justice for her death.

(paseares@yahoo.com/paseares@sunstar.com.ph)