‘Ruben’ upsets Alona’s final peace

Alona Bacolod Ecleo, the wife of a former mayor and cult leader in Surigao del Norte, was buried yesterday at the Cebu South Memorial Gardens in Mojon, Talisay in what should have been her final resting place. But somebody who claimed he was Ruben Ecleo apparently wanted to deny her final peace. Two hours before Alona was supposed to be buried yesterday, a man who identified himself as Ruben Ecleo, Alona’s husband, reportedly called up the St. Ignatius Chapel where her body lies and blurted out expletives against the Bacolods and the mourners.

"F__k you all!," said the caller in Cebuano.

The telephone call was received by Farah Laviste of the Crusade Against Violence past 9 a.m. yesterday.

Laviste said the caller first inquired about the time of Alona’s burial. Afterwards, the caller claimed he was Ruben Ecleo and repeated in thrice before uttering the expletives.

"Miadto ko sa telephone kay manawag unta ko. Unya mi-ring man ang telephone ako’ng gitubag. Niingog ang caller nga Ruben Ecleo daw siya. Katulo niya gibalik unya ingon dayon siya," Laviste said.

Laviste, however, did not know Ruben Ecleo personally and informed the Bacolod’s about the caller and described to them the caller’s voice.

Laviste said the caller has a tendency to stutter and has a rather hoarse voice. Given the description, the Bacolods said the caller was probably Ruben.

Not one member of the Ecleo family attended the Mass for Alona and the funeral.

The Bacolods, consider this an admission of guilt, particularly on the part of Ruben.

The Crusade Against Violence national vice president Thelma Chiong assured the Bacolod family that her group will help them seek justice for Alona.

Alona’s body was found inside a black garbage bag dumped in a ravine in Dalaguete on Jan. 8. — Freeman News Service