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Saturday, May 13, 2006
Ecleo camp wants court to end case
Ruben Ecleo Jr.’s lawyers are rolling the dice.
After the prosecution rested its case, defense lawyers Orlando Salatandre and Giovanni Mata want the court to rule on the parricide case without presenting a single witness or exhibit to defend their client.
In yesterday’s hearing before Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Geraldine Faith Econg, they asked the court for permission to submit a pleading known as demurrer to evidence.
The demurrer, which Judge Econg granted them 10 days to submit, asks the court to summarize the prosecution’s evidence
and decide whether the prosecution’s evidence is sufficient for a conviction.
But it is a risk-free venture, a court observer said.
Since the defense obtained the court’s permission to file the pleading, they reserved the right to introduce their own evidence if the court decides to rule in favor of the prosecution.
Yesterday’s hearing was originally scheduled to hear the testimony of Dr. Roberto Anastacio.
Anastacio’s services were contracted by the defense to counter the prosecution’s motion to have Ecleo’s bail cancelled so he could be sent back to the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC).
The defense cited that Econg’s signature did not appear on the subpoena issued to the doctor, who is based at the Makati Medical Center, making it invalid.
“I don’t know when they plan to present that witness,” Econg said when interviewed after the hearing, adding that she had to cancel 16 settings in another court just to give time to yesterday’s hearing.
The defense was expected to present Anastacio for his expert view on the results of an angiogram procedure on Ecleo.
The prosecution panel earlier asked the court to void Ecleo’s P1-million bail, citing it was granted solely for health reasons.
They pointed out how Ecleo looked healthy in all his previous court appearances.
The prosecution has asked that Ecleo be subjected to a checkup at a government-owned facility, preferably by government physicians, to determine his actual medical condition. (KNR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 13, 2006 issue)
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