Records clean: Slain officer got promoted 21 days before

In nine years in the Philippine National Police, PO3 Eugene Calumba received six medals.

He had a “very satisfactory” record in the Regional Personnel and Human Resources Division, and Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Debold Sinas, who visited his wake last Monday night, assured Calumba’s family they’ll receive full benefits.

Police officials have said that Calumba was doing surveillance last Monday morning when a driver-bodyguard of Tejero Barangay Councilor Jessielou Cadungog shot him.

The bodyguard, however, insists Calumba was about to shoot, which forced him to fire first in self-defense. Calumba, 33, was assigned to the Parian Station just three months ago. He received a promotion just three weeks before he was shot.

The flag in the PRO 7 headquarters in Cebu City was flown at half-staff yesterday to mourn the fallen police officer.

Eugene Calumba was promoted to the rank of Police Officer 3 last July 9, or 21 days before he was gunned down while doing what his superiors described as surveillance work on the illegal drug trade in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City.

The 33-year-old anti-drug operative of the Parian Police Station lost his life for the sake of public service, according to the official Facebook page of Cebu City Police Office Director Royina Garma’s program “Itug-an ni (Tell it to) CD.”

Calumba was riding a motorcycle driven by a civilian police asset when he was shot dead by the bodyguard of Tejero Barangay Councilor Jessielou Cadungog last Monday morning.

Parian Police Station Chief Kenneth Paul Albotra said the operative was not involved in any illegal activities.

“I was shocked and saddened by what happened,” he said. “I was told by his classmates that he was a battalion commander. We can see that his personality was exemplary.”