On July 30, 2020, authorities presented Ruben Ecleo Jr. to the public, marking the conclusion of a high-profile, years-long manhunt. Ecleo Jr. was a fugitive, having been convicted for the murder of his wife, Alona Bacolod Ecleo, in January 2002.

Furthermore, he was the alleged mastermind behind the subsequent massacre of four members of her family in Mandaue City, Cebu, in June 2002.

The tragic events involving Alona and her family forced a national examination of Ecleo Jr.’s life, revealing him to be not merely the leader of a powerful religious organization but also a hugely influential and seemingly untouchable political figure in the Dinagat Islands.

To fully comprehend the rise of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA), and Ecleo Jr.’s powerful position as its “Supreme Leader,” one must first understand the life of his father, Ruben Ecleo Sr., who established the foundation for the family’s immense influence. Ecleo Sr. was born into a poor family on December 9, 1934, on Cabilan Island, part of the Dinagat Islands.

According to his own accounts, he began traveling to small towns in Central Luzon at the age of eight. His official biography claims he achieved complete unification with the Divine power at the age of 12 after spending several days isolated in the mountains.

He traveled to the United States in 1952 for a survey study tour, returning to the Philippines in 1953. Two years later, he married Glenda Buray, and their union produced eight children. As a missionary, he traveled extensively across Davao, Bukidnon, Leyte, and Samar throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

The 1960s marked the beginning of his following, whom he dubbed the “First 13.” Over the years, he started claiming that he was a conduit for spirits and could speak various languages, including Arabic, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Sanskrit.

It was also claimed that, due to his command of ancient languages, he could read the contents of the Akashic Records—a collection of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions, and intentions that have occurred in the past, present, or future of all living and sentient beings, not limited to humans.

The growing popularity of Ecleo Sr. and his nascent organization led him to politics. In 1963, he successfully ran for mayor of Dinagat Island, a position he held continuously for 24 years until his death in 1987. This established Ecleo Sr. not only as a spiritual leader but also as a dominant political power in the region.

In 1965, his brother, Moises Ecleo, formally founded the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA), instructing followers to refer to him as the “Divine Master.” Ecleo Sr., not to be outdone, also claimed spiritual gifts, including the ability to heal the sick, resurrect the dead, communicate with spirits, possess mental telepathy, and foresee the future.

The PBMA’s beliefs, according to its website, are a blend of Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, and Akashic doctrines. While the details of any possible internal conflict are unknown, Ecleo Sr. eventually became the PBMA’s official and undisputed leader.

The PBMA membership underwent a significant transition upon Ecleo Sr.’s passing in 1987. He passed the leadership to his eldest son, Ruben Ecleo Jr. Ecleo Jr. initially pursued a career as a musician and recording artist before entering public office, serving as the mayor of San Jose and later as a Congressman for the Dinagat Islands district.

Following the separation of Dinagat Island from Surigao Del Norte in 2006 to become its own province, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism reported that nearly 50 of Ecleo Jr.’s relatives, including seven of Ecleo Sr.’s eight children and his wife, occupied various key positions in the local government.

Ecleo Jr. led the PBMA, which, according to reports, boasted over 3.5 million followers across 15 countries. PNP records indicate that his followers referred to him as the Reincarnation of Jesus Christ, believing he was also guided by other spirits.

The organization taught its members about salvation, and according to their website, each member was given a ring symbolizing their PBMA membership and guaranteeing their entry into heaven.

They also espoused beliefs in reincarnation, heaven, and hell. They believed heaven was a realm located deep beneath the sea in Surigao, while hell could be accessed through a doorway in one of Ecleo Sr.’s former residences.

The PBMA gained significant notoriety because many of its members allegedly possessed healing abilities. This reputation attracted followers both domestically and internationally.

New members were told that the healing power originated from Ecleo Sr. Ecleo Sr.’s long tenure as mayor and his popularity as the PBMA leader were partially attributed to his anti-insurgency efforts against guerrillas and communists in Mindanao and Visayas during his time in office.

His work garnered support from local government bodies, not just the people. A Philstar article noted that almost all PBMA members were also part of a group called ‘Ilaga,’ which fought the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) alongside the military.

In addition to fighting insurgency, the PBMA promoted “clean living.” Male members were strictly prohibited from vices, drug use, and gambling; violation of these rules would lead to expulsion. Along with the membership ring, PBMA members in the 1970s and 1980s commonly possessed a “libera,” a medallion with a Latin inscription believed to be a prayer for protection against harm.

Upon Ecleo Jr.’s ascension to leadership, the association noticed a slowdown in membership growth, but the family remained unconcerned, relying on their extensive political network. This era of seemingly undisturbed power was shattered in 2002 when Ecleo Jr.’s wife, Alona Bacolod Ecleo, was found dead.

Alona’s body was discovered stuffed inside a garbage bag at the bottom of a cliff in Cebu in January 2002. Initial police investigation suggested she had been strangled.

The subsequent autopsy revealed that her body was covered in bruises, confirming she had been severely beaten before being strangled, the cause of death.

Upon identifying Alona, police contacted her family in Cebu, who immediately pointed to her husband, Ecleo Jr., as the only person capable of the crime. Alona’s brother, Jose Ville, testified that on the night of January 5, he entered the couple’s house to get water and noticed Ecleo Jr. seemed agitated.

After leaving, a bad feeling prompted him to return, where he allegedly saw Ecleo Jr. and his driver loading a black garbage bag into the trunk of a car.

This testimony and other witness accounts established probable cause, allowing the prosecution to file a parricide case against Ecleo Jr.

They also secured a search warrant for the Ecleo home in Cebu, where investigators found bloodstains in the bathroom, on the bedsheets, on the doorknob, and on the floor mat.

Days later, authorities found the abandoned Toyota Corolla suspected of transporting Alona’s body; forensic teams confirmed bloodstains in the trunk, further strengthening the case.

However, Ecleo Jr. had already gone into hiding. A tip-off suggested he and his driver had fled to Surigao City, allegedly being escorted by an Armed Forces of the Philippines sergeant. A warrant was issued for Ecleo’s arrest.

Learning he was in Dinagat Island, a combined force of 150 police officers, the 20th Infantry Battalion of the AFP, and two MG 520 helicopters stormed Dinagat Island on June 19, 2002, at 5:00 PM, to apprehend him.

To their shock, they were met by approximately 2,000 armed PBMA supporters who formed a human barricade, preventing the authorities from reaching the mansion of their “Divine Master.”

What followed was a chaotic, three-hour gun battle. Reports indicate that the armed PBMA members, including Ecleo’s elite security team known as the ‘White Eagle,’ fired first, with the authorities retaliating.

While the military and police were engaged in the standoff at Dinagat Island, police in Mandaue City, Cebu, were dealing with an even more horrifying crime: the massacre of the Bacolod family.

A lone assailant, armed with an Ingram machine pistol (MC10), sprayed the Bacolod home with bullets. Alona’s brother, Ben, her mother, Rosalia, and her father, Alidio, died instantly.

Her siblings, Ricky and Evelyn, were rushed to the hospital; Evelyn died there, but Ricky survived. Witnesses who managed to hide reported that the assailant approached the wounded victims and shot them one by one to ensure they were dead.

Before the day ended, police announced the death of a sixth victim, a neighbor who was simply there to get water. Police arriving at the Bacolod home described the scene as a “slaughterhouse” due to the excessive amount of blood.

Mandaue police’s swift response prevented the killer from escaping. A chase and shootout ensued, resulting in the death of the assailant, who was identified as Rico Gumolon, a security guard at Postal Bank in Cebu City. Gumolon’s ring revealed him to be a PBMA member.

Authorities theorized that Ecleo Jr. had declared an “all-out war” over the radio against those who opposed him hours before the massacre. Gumolon, upon hearing the declaration, was allegedly incensed and attacked the Bacolod family.

The three-hour standoff outside the Ecleo mansion in Dinagat finally concluded with casualties on both sides. Four PBMA members were killed, while PO1 Hubert Montenegro and another unidentified police officer were wounded.

The next morning, at 9:00 AM, Ecleo Jr. surrendered, allowing authorities into his mansion. He was accompanied by his mother, Congresswoman Glenda Ecleo, his brother, Benny, and his lawyer, Attorney Solatandre.

Authorities arrested two armed PBMA members inside the mansion and recovered a massive arsenal, including M19 rifles, a 60-caliber machine gun, two 30-caliber machine guns, three Armalite rifles, an Ingram machine pistol, a PAL machine pistol, three grenades, three grenade launchers, an M14 rifle, numerous handguns, and two shotguns.

Former Senator Robert Barbers, who was close to the Ecleo family, revealed that he had repeatedly attempted to persuade the family to surrender Ecleo Jr. before the shootout, believing that lives could have been saved had they listened.

Then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared that Ecleo Jr. would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. He was escorted by Barbers and other high-ranking officials to Camp Crame in Manila.

The Cebu police director was relieved of his post, as were two high-ranking Surigao del Norte police officials, after they were found to have been inside the Ecleo mansion during the manhunt.

Ecleo Jr. tested positive for shabu, adding illegal drug use to his charges of parricide, illegal possession of firearms, and murder. Alona’s surviving relatives claimed Ecleo Jr. was heavily addicted to drugs, which was often the root of the couple’s arguments.

Police theorized that a drug-fueled argument led Ecleo Jr. to lose control, strangle Alona, and kill her. Ecleo Jr. continued to deny any involvement in the death of his wife or her family during his interrogation.

Ecleo Jr.’s defense team deliberately missed his arraignment on February 19, 2003, in an attempt to delay proceedings.

Judge Hen Rosa Labra of the Regional Trial Court entered a “Not Guilty” plea on his behalf. While awaiting pretrial, Ecleo Jr. was held in custody.

At this time, only the parricide case was moving forward, as Cebu police struggled to find sufficient evidence linking him to the family massacre.

In 2004, citing the slow pace of the trial, Ecleo Jr.’s camp filed a motion for temporary release, claiming he suffered from a severe heart ailment.

Judge Labra granted him temporary freedom on a P1 million bond, a decision that enraged Alona’s family and the public. The judge defended her decision, citing a medical evaluation from two doctors who claimed Ecleo Jr. could die in prison without better medical treatment.

Before the Cebu trial began, Ecleo Jr.’s lawyers petitioned to move the trial to Manila, claiming the Cebuano population was too hostile towards him, but the judge rejected the request and issued a hold departure order, barring Ecleo Jr. from leaving Cebu or the Philippines.

In a tragic turn, private prosecutor Arbet Sta. Ana-Yongco was ambushed and killed on October 11, 2004, shortly before the judge could rule on an appeal to exhume Alona’s body for a new autopsy. A PBMA member later surrendered, claiming responsibility for the lawyer’s murder.

Years later, Ecleo Jr. was convicted of corruption related to his time as Mayor of Dinagat Island in August 2009 and sentenced to three decades in prison.

Finally, in April 2012, a decade after Alona’s murder, Ecleo Jr. was found guilty of parricide and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay P25 million in damages. Ecleo Jr. was not present in court for the verdict, having already gone into hiding.

Then-President Benigno Aquino III immediately offered a P2 million reward for his capture, listing him as one of the Philippines’ most wanted criminals.

On July 30, 2020, Ecleo Jr. was apprehended in San Fernando City, Pampanga. Authorities revealed he was living under an assumed name and was even playing golf. He and his driver were immediately transported to the New Bilibid Prison in Taguig City. Despite his conviction, Ecleo Jr. continued to deny killing his wife in an interview from the Bureau of Corrections.

Ruben Ecleo Jr. died on May 13, 2021, at the age of 60, due to heart disease.

The Bureau of Corrections reported that he had contracted and recovered from the COVID-19 virus during the height of the pandemic, but his heart condition deteriorated upon his return to prison. Before his death, he had relinquished the PBMA leadership to his sister and son.

While the last reported membership count in 2013 stood at 140,000, it remains unknown how many followers the PBMA retains today. However, for those remaining members in Dinagat Island, their faith in the Ecleo family continues.