ANTIDRUG HERO The coffin bearing the body of PO3 Eugene Calumba is draped in the Philippine flag as it arrives at Liloan Port in Santander, Cebu, to be brought to his home province Negros Oriental. TONEE DESPOJO/CEBU DAILY NEWS
CEBU CITY鈥擯olice have completed their narrative on the attempt on the life of Jessilou Cadungog, charging him and his bodyguard with the killing of a police officer who died while allegedly executing an assassination plot against Cadungog, a village councilor and labor leader.
Aside from being charged with the killing of the supposed assassin, PO3 Eugene Calumba, Cadungog and his bodyguard, William Macaslang Jr., have also been tagged by police as drug suspects.
Police witnesses
The regional office of the Philippine National Police鈥檚 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), which filed the charges, has taken custody of at least two witnesses, according to Hector Amancia, head of the regional CIDG office.
Amancia said one of the witnesses was a minor.
The witnesses saw Cadungog inside his vehicle, a Toyota FJ Cruiser, when he was supposedly shot by Calumba aboard a motorcycle driven by police asset Michael Banua.
Cadungog, village councilor of Tejero here and a local leader of Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Associated Labor Unions (TUCP-ALU), had told the National Bureau of Investigation that he was not inside his vehicle during the failed assassination.
Macaslang, Cadungog鈥檚 bodyguard, was driving the councilor鈥檚 FJ Cruiser past 8 a.m. on Monday when he noticed a motorcycle get near.
The man behind the driver of the motorcycle pulled out a gun, prompting Macaslang to get his firearm and shoot.
The man turned out to be Calumba.
Banua was collared by village guards and bystanders.
Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, head of the Central Visayas PNP, took custody of Banua.
On surveillance
According to Sinas, Calumba and Banua were on a surveillance operation in Tejero because of reports of rampant drug dealing in the village.
Sinas refuted allegations that Calumba and Banua were on a vigilante mission to kill Cadungog, saying the slain police officer and the police asset were victims in this case.
The NBI Central Visayas office filed a homicide case against Cadungog鈥檚 bodyguard, Macaslang, on Tuesday after Macaslang admitted he shot Calumba but in self-defense.
Patricio Bernales, NBI Central Visayas chief, said the agency had yet to gather enough evidence against Banua.
Sinas, in a press conference on Wednesday, said Cadungog was on President Duterte鈥檚 and the police鈥檚 drug watch list.
Background check
He said investigators conducted a background check on Cadungog following the killing of Calumba.
TUCP-ALU stood by Cadungog, vice chair of Cebu port manpower supplier Oriental Port and Allies Services Corp., and a director of TUCP-ALU national board.
In a statement, TUCP president Raymond Mendoza assailed the 鈥渟ordid attempt to justify and cover up鈥� police involvement on the attempt on Cadungog鈥檚 life.
鈥淲ho will protect us now against lawlessness and the breakdown of the rule of law now that the police themselves are the ones who are killing and hurting us?鈥� Mendoza said.
鈥淲here do the weak and powerless go and seek protection?鈥� he said.
听
鈥楶lain stupidity鈥�
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osme帽a assailed the charges filed by police against Cadungog and Macaslang.
鈥淚t鈥檚 stupid. It鈥檚 plain stupidity,鈥� Osme帽a said.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 Jijing (Cadungog) who鈥檚 on his way to work and he murdered somebody? How would you explain that?鈥� he said.
鈥淏ad people are trying to operate here and I will be there,鈥� he added.
Osme帽a vowed to protect Cadungog and Macaslang.
鈥淚 am Cadungog鈥檚 security鈥攃lose-in. I will protect him and protect my people,鈥� Osme帽a said.