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Saturday, April 29, 2006
Editorials: Assessing Ecleo’s health
Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association supreme master Ruben Ecleo Jr. is in for another big battle in the case he is facing for the killing of his wife Alona: parrying prosecution efforts to haul him back to jail.
As in the previous instance when Ecleo’s health was examined, this one will be bitterly fought both inside and outside the sala of Regional Trial Court Judge Geraldine Faith Econg.
The defense did all it could to convince the court to allow Ecleo to post bail in 2004; it will surely pour everything out to prevent a reversal of the fortunes of the accused.
‘Walking time bomb’
The problem with the court’s earlier decision to allow Ecleo to post bail is that it was based solely on the basis of his supposedly poor health, or his being a “walking time bomb,” according to his doctor.
And as Judge Econg rightly put it, the health condition of a person “varies on a day-to-day basis,” a point that easily applies to Ecleo.
Many things have actually happened since 2004, from the taking over by lawyers from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City Chapter as private prosecutors to the case landing on Econg’s lap.
Ecleo himself looks physically different now from the person arrested after a firefight in Dinagat island and later incarcerated at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center for several months.
Real status
But while it is good to settle the matter of whether Ecleo’s health has improved or not, the fact remains that there are those who are even asking whether Ecleo really has a problematic heart in the first place.
This means that two points could be cleared in Ecleo’s scheduled medical tests, that is if this will be objectively done: 1) settle once and for all the previous questions on his health and, 2) if he was really sick that time, whether he is well now.
Working Rodman
Former National Basketball Association rebound king and Michael Jordan teammate Dennis Rodman now knows how difficult it is to earn money when your star status is on the wane.
During his visit to Cebu last Thursday, Rodman snubbed press conferences because, according to his sponsor, he was mad because he lacked sleep even as he was scheduled to play that night.
Then there was that budbod (rice delicacy) incident that had him eating the leaf wrapper.
Welcome back to the ground, Dennis.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 29, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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