Cadungog ‘not with his driver’ during ambush try

CEBU, Philippines — The camp of Tejero, Cebu City barangay councilman Jessielou Cadungog has denied police’s allegations that he was in the car with his driver during the supposed failed ambush attempt on his life last July 30.

Cadungog’s lawyer Renato Galleon told The FREEMAN yesterday that they can show closed-circuit television footages to support this.

“Wala siya sa sakyanan, contrary to their allegations. We have CCTV footages to prove it. We submitted CCTV footages sa (Office of the Regional State Prosecutor), saved in a USB,” said Galleon in response to the cases the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 filed against Cadungog and his driver-bodyguard William Macaslang.

Cadungog had considered himself the subject of an assassination attempt last July 30 when two men on board a motorcycle were seen in the barangay.

That day, Macaslang ended up fatally shooting one of the two supposed assailants, who was later identified as PO3 Eugene Calumba. Calumba’s driver, police asset Michael Banua, survived.

Police Regional Office-7 Director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas earlier defended the late Calumba from allegations tagging him as a hitman, saying Calumba and Banua were in the area merely to conduct surveillance.

The complaints for murder and frustrated murder filed by the CIDG against Cadungog and Macaslang have been assigned to an assistant provincial prosecutor after the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office inhibited from handling the cases upon the request of CIDG.

Lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna, adviser of CIDG-7, said the motion for inhibition is to level the playing field of both parties and to give the new assigned prosecutor a “fresh perspective” of the issues.

Macaslang and Cadungog voluntarily surrendered before the NBI after the incident.

Speaking to reporters, Macaslang said that while he was driving Cadungog’s car along T. Padilla Extension in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City to refuel at a gasoline station near Plaza Independencia, he saw two men on board a motorcycle – with helmets on and covered faces – tailing on him.

Macaslang said he was keeping an eye on the two, especially that days prior, Cadungog allegedly received threats to his life.

He said his suspicion was amplified when the two men moved along the left side of his driven vehicle, despite the limited and constricted space due to an ongoing road repair.

Moments later, he allegedly saw Calumba pull out a gun, prompting him to shoot the late. Banua then allegedly moved in front of the car and pulled gun, so he also fired shots at him, but missed.

Banua is under the custody of the CIDG and is considered a victim/witness.

The National Bureau of Investigation-7 also filed a separate homicide complaint against Macaslang after admitting that he killed Calumba “for self-defense.”

Benjamin Militar, legal counsel of Macaslang, said they have until today to file their counter-affidavit after they asked for an extension of five days.

He said they will submit their counter-affidavit, as well as several documentary evidences that would prove that his client had acted in self-defense.

In addition, Militar said he will seek for clarification considering only the complaints filed by CIDG and NBI were forwarded to another prosecutor. He said the complaints they had filed against Banua for attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms, which were under regular filing, remained at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

“Ang ako lang what if naay contradictory findings,” he said. (FREEMAN)