NBI files charges over Tejero incident: Barangay exec, driver face raps

CEBU, Philippines — The bodyguard of Barangay Tejero, Cebu City councilman and former captain Jessielou Cadungog who shot a policeman he thought was a hitman has been sued for homicide.

"Based on our investigation, though William Macaslang to have acted in self-defense, considering there was a death of a person, this office deems it prudent to file a case of homicide,” reads the complaint the National Bureau of Investigation forwarded to the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor.

 Macaslang was driving Cadungog’s FJ Cruiser last Monday morning to have the car refueled when he reportedly noticed two men on board a motorcycle tailing him.

The two men wore helmets and their faces were reportedly covered.

Macaslang said he kept an eye on the two and his bad feeling heightened when, along T. Padilla Extension, they reportedly squeezed the motorcycle into the tight space between the FJ Cruiser and a construction site. As the motorcycle was right beside the driver’s side, the man riding in pillion allegedly pulled out a gun, which prompted Macaslang to use the gun Cadungog has left in the vehicle.

He fired the first shot.

Macaslang said the driver of the motorcycle also allegedly aimed a gun at him but he was able to fire shots.

Because of the commotion, the supposed hitmen weren’t able to go far and the one Macaslang shot first died on the street.

It man, as it turned out, is a policeman identified as PO3 Eugene Calumba of the Parian Police Station. The driver was identified as Michael Banua, a police asset.

The Police Regional Office–7 said the two were coming from a surveillance operation in Barangay Tejero.

Police recovered a .45 caliber pistol from Calumba.

Cadungog has said he might have been the target of what he believes was an assassination attempt because he has received a text message about a month ago telling him to be careful.

But the police weren’t convinced and believe Cadungog and Macaslang should be held liable for Calumba’s death. Yesterday afternoon, Senior Insp. Jomas Pomarejos of the Waterfront Police Station arrested the two during the inquest proceedings of the homicide complaint at the prosecutor’s office.

A separate complaint for murder will be filed against them today.

Cadungog and Macaslang, however, will remain under the custody of the NBI to which they have sought refuge last Monday.

Hands off

Yesterday, too, the Police Regional Office -7 assured it will not dip its hands into the case to erase doubts of a possible cover-up on the supposed assassination.

“Police are trying to investigate, but it will not be PRO-7. Ang PRO-7 dili mu-investigate aron dili biased. It will be the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-7), as they have one of the witnesses in protective custody. Wala mi nakita nga cover-up we are presenting our findings,” said PRO-7 spokesperson, Supt. Reyman Tolentin.

Chief Inspector Hector Amancia of CIDG-7 said he has tasked the Cebu City Intelligence Branch to look for Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras near the crime scene that may have captured the incident.

Surveillance

Tolentin said that while Tejero falls under the jurisdiction of the Waterfront Police Station, and Calumba and Banua are from another station, the police can still cross boundaries as long as they coordinated properly with the station commander.

“It’s a combination of investigation and intelligence… there could be subjects or gidudahan na reports so, syempre, you could just cross boundaries. The Philippine National Police is national in scope tapos i-limit mo lang sa barangay and eskina? If the subject will cross boundaries then you can go,” he said.

He said Calumba and Banua may have covered their faces – if they really did, as claimed – because there are instances, especially in covert operations, when cops needs to maintain a low profile. (FREEMAN)