Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr. of Dinagat Island asked the Supreme Court of the Philippines to block the arrest warrant issued to him by the Sandiganbayan. The lone representative from Dinagat island was convicted for the anomalous construction deals while he was serving as Mayor of San Jose, Surigao del Norte.
Rep. Ecleo said in a 7 page extremely urgent motion that he had a two pending petition with the Supreme Court and a motion for reconsideration of the graft case that he was convicted earlier.
The Ecleo’s were prominent families since the time of the late Ruben Ecleo Sr., the founder of PBMA which was tagged by Christian denominations as a cult group. Their families have been involved not only in religious activities but had strong ties with different political families in Mindanao particulary in Surigao.
The arrest warrant issued against Ruben Ecleo Jr. was dated last January 28, 2011, after the Supreme Court affirmed the decision made by the Sandiganbayan to convict the Supreme leader of the Philippine Benevolent Missionary (–foul word(s) removed–)ociation.
Rep. Ecleo made national headlines during the year 2002, month of June, when 22 of his men and a policeman was killed during the attempted arrest conducted by the PNP and military personnels in his compound in Dinagat island. He was the suspect for the brutal killing of his own wife Alona Bacolod Ecleo and his parents.
