Ecleo no longer asking for Econg's inhibition

Parricide suspect and cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr. will no longer seek for the inhibition of Regional Trial Court Judge Geraldine Faith Econg from handling his case.

Earlier, Ecleo had asked Econg to inhibit from his case fearing she might be impartial because she was a former classmate of Arbet Sta Ana Yongco, the slain lead private prosecutor of the case.

But Econg rejected his motion for inhibition, saying that she would not be impartial despite the fact that Yongco was her classmate at the law school.

Immediately after the 39-year-old judge rejected the motion, Ecleo through his lawyer, Orlando Salatandre, announced that he would file a petition on the court's order.

But in his two-page manifestation filed before the court on Monday, Salatandre said his client would no longer insist on asking for Econg's inhibition from the case.

For their part, the private prosecutors were glad over the development.

During the hearing of the case last November 16, Econg reminded both parties to avoid making arguments on issues that could further delay the resolution of the case.

The prosecution has already completed the presentation of its evidence before the court, and it is now time for the accused to present proofs of his innocence over the killing of his wife.

But the defense's presentation of its evidence was delayed after Ecleo filed a demurrer to evidence, which is to dismiss the case filed against him even without submitting his defenses.

Although Econg rejected Ecleo's demurrer to evidence, the accused had filed a motion for reconsideration, which is yet to be resolved by court.

The other pending motion is the prosecution's move to have Ecleo's bail revoked so he would be sent back to jail.

Although Ecleo was charged with a heinous crime for allegedly killing his wife, he managed to post a P1 million bail after his doctor described him as a "walking time bomb" due to his heart problem. - Rene U. Borromeo