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Thursday, April 22, 2004
Ecleo released, set to leave for Manila
By Giovanni A. Nilles
CEBU CITY -- Amid a silent protest at the Palace of Justice Wednesday, Regional Trial Court Judge Anacleto Caminade signed the order releasing Ruben Ecleo Jr. from the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC).
The release dismayed brothers Angelito and Ricky Bacolod, who earlier asked that another judge be made to handle the parricide case against Ecleo, their brother-in-law and head of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA).
Thelma Chiong of the Crusade Against Violence (CAV) also promised to light a candle every day until Ecleo, earlier described by doctors as a "walking time bomb," would drop dead.
The Bacolod brothers and CAV members criticized Judge Caminade for acting immediately on the issue, when case records were forwarded to his sala only last Monday.
Despite the criticisms, Judge Caminade refused to be interviewed by members of the media Wednesday.
But Judge Fortunato de Gracia Jr. came to his defense, saying his colleague simply disposed of the case.
"Nobody wants to be in his shoes. This is a high-profile case and often it's 'damn if you do, damn if you don't.' It is his discretion to either act on the motion (to inhibit) or act on peripheral matters (sign a release order)," he said.
Hopes dim
De Gracia said it was within Judge Caminade's discretion to rule on peripheral matters, ahead of treating the motion for him to inhibit from hearing the parricide charge.
Angelito Bacolod, brother of victim Alona Bacolod-Ecleo, pointed out that he filed the motion for Caminade to inhibit from the case at 11 a.m. last Tuesday and was really surprised that the order of release was given within four hours.
"When Caminade learned that we filed a motion for his inhibition at 11 a.m., he issued an order at 4 p.m. without even hearing our motion. So, I really could not discount the possibility that money is involved here," Angelito said.
Private Prosecutor Arbet Sta. Ana-Yongco appeared resigned to the release, though, saying a petition for certiorari before the Court of Appeals and a prayer for a temporary restraining order can no longer prevent Ecleo's temporary release.
"I do not like to give you false hopes. We cannot prevent his release. We can resort to a petition by certiorari but I must be candid that our resources are very limited. The temporary restraining order cannot also be secured in a day's time," she pointed out.
Security was tight at the Chong Hua Hospital, where Ecleo was detained. Ecleo refused to be interviewed by media, although defense counsel Giovanni Mata said the PBMA master cried tears of joy upon hearing the news of his release.
More tests
Mata said Ecleo may be flown to Manila Thursday to undergo more advanced medical tests. He was earlier diagnosed to have a benign tumor in the bone.
Lead defense counsel Orlando Salatandre Jr. assured, though, that Ecleo will not leave the country, as the accused already deposited his passport with branch clerk of court Emelita Go of RTC 18.
Ecleo is the main suspect in the killing of his wife Alona in January 2002. Prosecution witnesses earlier told the court that Ecleo and his wife had an argument on the night Alona was last seen.
Three days later, Alona's body was found stuffed inside a black garbage bag, which was dumped on the roadside in Dalaguete town.
Ricky Bacolod said that although they did not spend too much money in prosecuting the case, too many lives were lost.
His father, mother and brother were killed when a PBMA member opened fire at their residence in Mandaue City on June 18, 2002.
The following day, more lives were lost as some PBMA members chose to shoot it out with the police who went to Dinagat Island to arrest the 43-year-old Ecleo.
"Caminade's decision was really shocking. We have sacrificed too much for this case. Lives were lost. And now, we fear for our lives because we know what Ecleo can do," Ricky added.
The Bacolod brothers and CAV have not decided, though, whether to file an administrative case against Judge Caminade.
But Judge de Gracia opined that the order to release Ecleo is not a ground for an administrative complaint.
"If making a ruling that is not popular in a community is a ground for an administrative complaint, then no judge will ever last long in his job," he said.
(April 22, 2004 issue)
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