After nine years into hiding, former Congressman Ruben Ecleo Jr. was finally arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday.
Oplan Almighty has monitored Ecleo for six months prior to his arrest on Thursday in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
Police personnel disguised themselves as garbage collectors to get closer to Ecleo’s residence where some weapons were seized. Ecleo is the “supreme master” of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA).
He admitted that he has some “followers” in Pampanga, and that he has long been wanting to surrender to authorities.
NCRPO Chief Police Major General Debold Sinas disclosed the arrest of Ecleo was not easy as the latter used a different name and was possibly protected by members of his cult.
Sinas disclosed that there will be a retracking by the police to probe the alleged involvement of Ecleo on the death of his wife’s family.
Ecleo is the top most wanted person of the DILG and has a Php 2 million bounty on his head which will be handed to the agent who tipped his location.
Ecleo was convicted of parricide and was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 after allegedly slaying his wife in Cebu in 2002, but he managed to escape.
– Report from Bea Bernardo
