Ecleo, charged with parricide for the death of his wife Alona Bacolod, told reporters that fellow inmate Avelino Edaño attacked him yesterday morning but he managed to punch him in the face.
A jail guard, JO1 Richard Arrofo, intervened but Edaño tried to grab his firearm. The scuffle ended in the jail guard fatally shooting Edaño, according to reports reaching Camp Crame.
Another inmate identified as Anastacio Ortiz was injured in the incident.
Reports said Edaño, who was serving a life sentence for murder, had showed signs of mental disorder in the past three months.
The attack on Ecleo angered his followers. His lawyer told reporters they would ask authorities to transfer Ecleo and his parricide case to Metro Manila where they believe his safety would be guaranteed.
Ecleo gave himself up last June 19 after a night of bloody fighting between law enforcers and his followers on Dinagat Island in Surigao del Norte, which left 23 people dead.
The violence erupted as a joint police-military team, with air support from two military helicopters, swooped down on the island to serve Ecleo an arrest warrant for the killing of his wife a few months ago.
As this happened, Alona’s brother Ben, father Elpidio and mother Rosalia were gunned down by a man armed with an Ingram pistol and an Uzi machinegun. The attacker was believed to be a PBMA follower.