At least 10 Ecleo clan members win key seats in Dinagat Islands

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – The Ecleos of Dinagat Islands reclaimed their position as a dominant local political force in the Caraga region with the reelection of one of its scions as a congressman and the election of at least nine other members of the clan to key local positions across the province.

It was a big win for the Ecleos whose gubernatorial bet, Vice Governor Nilo Demerey Jr., unseated Governor Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao.

Dinagat Representative Alan Ecleo I kept his position, frustrating the attempt of his sister Geraldine “Jade” Ecleo to unseat him.  

Jade was the first governor of Dinagat Islands when it received its charter as a province, carved out of Surigao del Norte. She was its governor from 2007 to 2010, and then served as vice governor when the Ecleo matriarch, Glenda, took over as governor from 2010 to 2013.

She had a falling out with the family after she ran for governor against their mother several years back.

With Jade’s loss came the victory of nine other members of the Ecleo clan.

Alan I’s son, Ozzy Reuben Ecleo, was reelected mayor of In Basilisa town. 

Alan I and Jade’s brother Benglen got elected back as Dinagat vice governor, and Alan I’s twin Alan II became councilor of San Jose, the capital town of Dinagat.

Another Ecleo sibling, Gwendolyn Ecleo-Pols, was elected to the provincial board. Gwendolyn is a former mayor of Dinagat town.

In the Dinagat capital of San Jose, Glenda’s grandson Yngwie Hero Ecleo was elected mayor.

Yngwie is the son of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) supreme master and congressman Ruben Ecleo Jr. and his murdered wife Alona Bacolod.

Yngwie’s brother Ludwig was also elected councilor of San Jose town.

There were other members of the Ecleo clan elected to various positions throughout Dinagat Island such as Ian Mark and Reyna An “Twinx” Ecleo who were elected as councilors of Cagdianao town, and Amor Ecleo-Alcaria who won a seat in the provincial board.

“This is our gift to our Queen Mother, Glenda, to retake the province they worked for so hard,” said Alan Uno, the reelected congressman.

Glenda was responsible for making Dinagat Islands a province separate from Surigao del Norte when she was a congresswoman. She is referred to as “queen mother” in the cult-like PBMA which was founded by her late husband Ruben Sr.

Many Dinagat islanders are members of the PBMA who believe that members of the Ecleo family are divine. – Rappler.com