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Monday, May 16, 2005
Prosecution asks court to summon NBI, DFA for Alona fingerpints
TO BOLSTER their claim that the body found in Dalaguete town, Cebu in 2002 was that of Alona Bacolod-Ecleo, the panel of private prosecutors now wants the fingerprint custodians of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to testify.
The two will be among the last three witnesses Regional Trial Court Branch 9 Judge Geraldine Faith Econg allowed the prosecution to present, to speed up the hearing of the parricide case against Alona’s husband, Ruben Ecleo Jr.
The trial started in 2003 and has seen six judges, with Econg being the latest to handle the case.
Strangled
Last week, Manila-based forensic expert Raquel Fortun confirmed NBI medico-legal officer Nestor Sator’s findings that Alona, 27, was strangled.
In their motion for a subpoena, the private prosecutors, who are officials and members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, said the documents bearing Alona’s signature are needed to verify the identity of the corpse believed to be that of Alona.
They said they will need the documents from these two government institutions since Alona’s voter’s registration record, which was earlier presented as evidence, was only a photocopy.
“Only recently, we learned that Alona owned a passport and had even gone abroad. So, she should have secured an NBI clearance and the DFA should have a copy of her fingerprints. We need those documents because, at present, we do not have an original record of her fingerprints,” lawyer Kit Enriquez said.
Lawyers Fritz Quiña-nola and Alfredo Sipalay also said Alona’s original fingerprints are vital to “prove without doubt” Alona’s identity.
The defense, on the other hand, has been questioning the identity of the body found at a roadside in the southern town of Dalaguete last Jan. 8, 2002.
Defense lawyer Orlando Salatandre Jr. told the court that the prosecution is causing so much delay already with the presentation of Alona’s original fingerprints.
He said the defense cannot understand why the prosecution is presenting again the fingerprints when they have presented the same issue in the previous hearings.
Judge Econg ruled to allow the witnesses from NBI and DFA, but she said she would allow only three more witnesses from the prosecution.
After that, the prosecution should already formally offer its evidence.
The prosecution has alleged that Ecleo, a former town mayor and head of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, strangled Alona in their residence in Banawa, Cebu City last Jan. 5,2 002.
Josebil Bacolod, Alona’s younger brother, testified that after his sister and Ruben had an argument, he (Josebil) saw Ruben carrying a huge black garbage bag secured with tape.
Three days after, a body, whom the Bacolods claimed to be Alona, was found stuffed inside a black garbage bag in Barangay Coro, Dalaguete.
Ecleo is out on a P1-million bail since April last year for health reasons. GN |
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