Will we even see Ecleo jailed again?

My heartfelt congratulations to our fellow media practitioners who bagged the prestigious Cebu Archdiocesan Mass Media Awards (CAMMA), because they are many, we cannot print them all here. But I’d just like to give special mention to a dear friend, Fr. Roy Cimagala for Best Column for English Language newspapers, Ms. Nancy Cudis of SunStar (she used to be with me in SkyCable TV Show) for Best News Writing, Mr. Archie Modequillo of The FREEMAN for Best in Feature Writing and Super Bobby Nalzaro for Best Column Writing in the Cebuano Language and Radio Commentary. Congrats to everyone and let’s strive for more excellence in the media.

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In a surprise twist of fate, Ruben Ecleo, Supreme Master of the Philippine Benevolent Missionary Association (PBMA) was apparently found guilty by the Sandiganbayan for violating Rep. Act. No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for 3-counts of graft during his term as Mayor of San Jose, Dinagat Island where he was meted a 31-year prison term! Two other persons were also sentenced 21-years imprisonment for their role in the anomalous construction of a public market.

Ecleo was convicted on two graft cases, a public market that cost P3.5 million, where Mayor Ecleo paid the contractor more than P500,000, which was more than obvious to the Sandiganbayan, then there’s the construction of the Municipal Building where P3.5 million was released even if the project was only 37% completed. Perhaps the biggest blunder he committed was when he used public funds to repair a building owned by the PBMA. That only showed that Mayor Ecleo could no longer differentiate between his job as head of his church and his job as head of his Municipality.

These cases were filed against Ecleo way back in 1998, long before he was charged with a parricide case as this foul deed was done in Jan.5, 2002. There is no question that it took more than 10-years for the Sandiganbayan to convict Mayor Ecleo, which is a mute testament to our snail’s paced justice system. Although we submit that this case isn’t yet final and that appeals to the Supreme Court would be made. So will we ever see Ecleo in jail again?

Meanwhile, the parricide case of Ecleo continues in its painstaking pace and only God knows when the Regional Trial Court (RTC) would finally render justice against Ecleo. This incident reminds me of the infamous case of Chicago mobster Alphonse “Scarface” Capone, where the authorities could not pin him for his role in the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre”. But in the end, the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) bagged Al Capone on tax evasion charges, which he was finally sent to jail. Now it’s Ecleo’s turn!

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We’ve been writing about that proposal to set up a Greyhound Dog racing facility in Mandaue City and we’ve expressed our dismay that Mayor Jonas Cortes doesn’t find anything wrong with this form of gambling. What is even surprising to me is that, his Vice-Mayor Carlo Fortuna whom he could never see eye to eye in any subject, (especially with the closure of the garbage dump) apparently agrees with Mayor Cortes on his issue.

It just makes me wonder or even suspect that with elections coming very soon, the people with very deep pockets must have promised these politicians some kind of support that both Mandaue City officials suddenly lose both their moral compasses in supporting Dog Racing in Mandaue City. Perhaps now is the time for Mandauehanons to ask, what has the Administration of Mayor Jonas Cortes done in his almost three years in office?

I’m sure that there will be a lot of fingerpointing in finding excuses as to what he could have done, but the City Council didn’t cooperate with him. Yet, the only thing that they could get along together is in gambling? How sad for the residents of the City of Mandaue that this misfortune has befallen upon their city! There should be lessons to learn from this experience… that in the coming elections, they should vote for their Mayor and Vice-Mayor who comes from the same slate so that Mandaue could move forward. Meanwhile, here’s a letter emailed to me about the dog racing issue.

“Dear Mr. Avila, I’m an avid reader of your column in The Freeman and the Phil Star if I get hold of a copy. I would like to tell you of how I appreciate your column in the PhilStar issue of Aug 19, 2009 regarding the ‘no to dog racing’.  I would also like to tell you that I have read your column in The Freeman more than once against greyhound racing.  Thank you for all this. Indeed, we humans should be aware that animals have the same feelings as we hav; that they also feel pain and fear, hunger and thirst.  And through your column, I’m sure there are now more and more people being aware that there are organizations and groups who want to work for the welfare of animals. Hoping to read more animal rights and welfare views in your column. Thank you again. Glenn Lim Kenrich Dev’t. Corp. M.L. Quezon Ave. Mandaue City.”

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For email responses to this article, write to [email protected] or [email protected]. His columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com.