Cop killed on busy Cebu street corner
CEBU CITY – A policeman was killed yesterday by the bodyguard of a former barangay captain while allegedly conducting surveillance, according to the police.
Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), identified the slain cop as PO3 Eugene Calumba whose body was found near the motorcycle he was riding in.
His companion, Michael Banua, was taken into police custody as witness, Sinas said.
Sinas said Calumba and Banua were headed to the police station after conducting a surveillance in the barangay when they were shot by the bodyguard of former Tejero barangay captain Jessielou Cadungong.
Cadungog, however, belied Sinas’ accusation, saying it was the policeman who attempted to ambush him that prompted his bodyguard, a certain Jun, to retaliate.
Cadungog said the attempted ambush took place shortly after he got off his sports utility vehicle (SUV).
“It was possible that the gunman didn’t know me. They thought I was the one who was in the car. I got off earlier because I planned to go to the barangay hall and I instructed my bodyguard to gas up,” Cadungog said.
Jun said he was cruising along T. Padilla Street around 8 a.m. when a motorcycle with two men on a motorcycle drove beside the driver’s seat.
Jun admitted he was the one who fired the first shot after he saw the backrider draw a gun from his waist.
Cadungog said Jun used his .357 Magnum revolver that he left in the car when he alighted.
According to Jun, Calumba and Banua were not able to fire shots.
Cadungog said when he heard gunshots, he tried to look for Jun but he decided to hide for fear that the gunman had cohorts.
Jun said he ran for safety after shooting the two men, leaving behind their bullet-riddled vehicle.
The body of Calumba was found near the motorcycle, about 500 meters from Cadungong’s vehicle which bore two holes on the windshield. A .45 caliber pistol and a magazine were recovered near his body.
Calumba, who suffered a gunshot wound near the armpit, was identified based on the police ID found in his body.
Cadungog was accompanied by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña when he showed up at the headquarters of the National Bureau of InvestigationCentral Visayas about six hours after the shooting incident.
In front of reporters, Cadungog read a text message that he received a few days before the attack, advising him to beef up his security as he and Mayor Osmeña are targets of assassination plots.
“Some police officials objected. The plan was aborted. If anything happens to you, there will be a big trouble,” part of the text message read.
“I don’t know why they are doing this to me when I am not involved in illegal activities,” said Cadungog.