Editing Ruben Ecleo Sr.

{{Short description|Filipino cult leader (1934–1987)}}
{{pp-pc1}}
{{use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Philippine name|Edera|Ecleo}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| name             = Ruben Ecleo
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| religion         = Independent Christian
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| known_for        = Founder of Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association
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| nationality      = Filipino
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| birth_name       = {{nowrap|Ruben Edera Ecleo}}
| birth_date       = {{birth date|1934|12|9}}
| birth_place      = [[Dinagat, Dinagat Islands|Dinagat]], [[Surigao (province)|Surigao]], [[Commonwealth of the Philippines|Philippine Commonwealth]]
| death_date       = {{death date and age|1987|12|20|1934|12|9}}
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| spouse           = {{married|[[Glenda Ecleo|Glenda Buray]]|1955}}
| partner          =
| children         = 8, including [[Ruben Ecleo Jr.|Ruben Jr.]], [[Alan Uno Ecleo|Alan Uno]], [[Jade Ecleo|Jade]] and [[Gwendolyn Ecleo|Gwendolyn]]
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| title            = Supreme President and Founder / Divine Master
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{{Infobox officeholder 
| embed = yes
| office              = Mayor of [[Dinagat, Dinagat Islands|Dinagat]], [[Surigao del Norte]]
| term_start          = 1963
| term_end            = 1987
| predecessor         = 
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}}
}}

'''Ruben Edera Ecleo Sr.''' (December 9, 1934 &ndash; December 20, 1987) was a [[Filipino people|Filipino]] religious leader and politician who founded the [[Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association]] in 1965, and the mayor of the municipality of [[Dinagat, Dinagat Islands|Dinagat]], [[Surigao del Norte]] from 1963 up to 1987.

==Early life==
Ruben Ecleo Sr. was born on December 9, 1934, in Cabilan island in [[Dinagat, Dinagat Islands|Dinagat]], [[Surigao (province)|Surigao]] (now part of the [[Dinagat Islands]] province).<ref name="esquirre">{{cite web |last1=Caña |first1=Paul John |title=The Strange Case of the Ecleos and the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association |url=https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/ecleos-philippine-benevolent-missionaries-association-a00289-20210525-lfrm |website=Esquire |access-date=17 September 2022 |date=25 May 2021}}</ref> He was baptized to the [[Philippine Independent Church]] at age one in the neighboring town of [[Surigao City|Surigao]]. His family moved the western portion of Dinagat island prior to 1941 in an area in Sitio Puyange which is now part of [[San Jose, Dinagat Islands|San Jose]] municipality.<ref name="localheroes">{{cite web |title= Ruben {{!}} Local Hero of the Province of Dinagat Islands |url=https://www.localherodinagatislands.com/ruben-biography |publisher=Provincial Government of Dinagat Islands |access-date=17 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120174650/https://www.localherodinagatislands.com/ruben-biography |archive-date=20 January 2021}}</ref>

==Ministry work==
Ecleo reportedly started his ministerial work at age eleven. He went to the United States in 1952 to undergo a months-long survey study tour before returning to the Philippines in 1953. He did mission work for the rest of the 1950s to the early 1960s, preaching in areas such as [[Davao Region|Davao]], [[Bukidnon]], [[Leyte Island|Leyte]], and [[Samar island|Samar]]. It was around this time that his followers believe that his healing powers surfaced. There were claims that he was able to cure illnesses and even raise people from the dead. In the early 1960s, he was able to amass his first followers who became known as the "First Thirteen" and he began using the title "Divine Master". He would formally establish the [[Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association]] (PBMA) in 1965. The group's belief is described as a mixture of Christian, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and Akashic doctrines.<ref name="esquirre"/> He also held the title Supreme President within the PBMA.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Solinap |first1=Leo |title=Ecleo's group not a cult, says follower |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2002/06/24/165810/ecleo146s-group-not-cult-says-follower |access-date=17 September 2022 |work=The Philippine Star |date=24 June 2002}}</ref>

His son, Ruben Jr. succeeded him as leader of the PBMA after his death.<ref name="esquirre"/> A PBMA primer says that the group believes that Ecleo Sr. "reappeared" in the body of his successor son.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Seares |first1=Pachico |title=EXPLAINER: Lent episode of true-crime podcast Lagim tells of how PBMA members regarded Ruben Ecleo Jr.: their 'God the son, reincarnation of Christ.' Local media dwelt more on violent incidents, side issues in 2002 murder of Ecleo's wife, massacre of her family. |url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/explainer-lent-episode-of-true-crime-podcast-lagim-tells-of-how-pbma-members-regarded-ruben-ecleo-jr-their-god-the-son-reincarnation-of-christ-local-media-dwelt-more-on-violent-incidents-side-issues-in-2002-murder-of-ecleos-wife-massacre-of-her-family|access-date=17 September 2022 |publisher=Sunstar |date=13 April 2022 |language=en-PH}}</ref>

==Political career==
Ecleo was elected as Mayor of [[Dinagat, Dinagat Islands|Dinagat]], [[Surigao del Norte]] in 1963. He would hold the position until his death in 1987.<ref name="esquirre"/>

==Death==
Ecleo died on December 20, 1987.<ref>{{cite web |title=Senate oks bills on special non-working holidays |url=https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2018/0903_prib1.asp |publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines]] |access-date=17 September 2022 |date=3 September 2018}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Ecleo was married to [[Glenda Ecleo|Glenda Buray]], who was a former member of the [[Surigao del Norte]] Provincial Board from and a [[House of Representatives of the Philippines|House of Representatives]] member representing the [[Legislative districts of Surigao del Norte|1st district of the same province]]<ref name="hor1">{{cite web |title=Ecleo, Glenda {{!}} Personal Information |url=http://www.i-site.ph/Databases/Congress/12thHouse/personal/ecleo-personal.html |publisher=[[House of Representatives of the Philippines]] |access-date=17 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040423052418/http://www.i-site.ph/Databases/Congress/12thHouse/personal/ecleo-personal.html |archive-date=23 April 2004}}</ref> He married Buray in 1955, and they had eight children.<ref name="esquirre"/> He had also a relationship with other women who were known to be his "spiritual wives" including Reyneria Borja, with whom he had two children, including Ruben Al.<ref name="pcij">{{cite web |title=Faith, Hope, and Politics |url=https://www.pcij.org/stories/1995/ecleos2.html |publisher=Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism |access-date=17 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080218072947/https://www.pcij.org/stories/1995/ecleos2.html |archive-date=18 February 2008}}</ref>

==References and sources==
{{reflist}}

==External links==

* [http://allaboutpbma.webs.com/informationfaq.htm All About the PBMA] - Unofficial website of Members of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, Inc.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ecleo Ruben}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century mayors of places in the Philippines]]
[[Category:Mayors of places in Dinagat Islands]]
[[Category:Politicians from Dinagat Islands]]
[[Category:Ecleo family|Ruben]]
[[Category:Filipino religious leaders]]
[[Category:Founders of new religious movements]]