Councilor Dave Tumulak’s woes

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 is thinking about filing an obstruction of justice case against Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak aside from the three cases the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 filed against him last Thursday.

PRO 7 Director Debold Sinas said that Tumulak allegedly took evidence from the crime scene.

“We are also studying if the case for obstruction of justice could apply to Dave Tumulak because he entered the crime scene. He took an ID and other things that he did not turn over to us. Now, there’s a possibility that he tampered with the crime scene and that’s part of the obstruction of justice, tampering with the crime scene,” Sinas said.

Tejero Councilor Jessielou Ca- driver-bodyguard William Macaslang killed PO3 Eugene Calumba after the cop allegedly tried to shoot the councilor.

Calumba was in the area conducting surveillance as an anti-drug operative, according to the police.

“Di talaga pwede na magkuha ka og ebidensiya didto tapos di nimo iturnover sa (You cannot take evidence from a crime scene and not turn this over to the) proper authority. He (Tumulak) said that he tried to give it to one of our personnel but they could not receive it because they’re not part of the team and we call that chain of custody,” the regional director said. Sinas said that the witness, Calumba’s driver Michael Banua, filed the cases (grave threats, physical injuries and grave coercion) against Tumulak.

“The witness said that he was being mauled by Tumulak. It is also his right to file a case,” Sinas said.

Tumulak, for his part, said he was the one who asked residents in the area not to harm Banua.

“I went to the area to save the life of Banua. He was beaten by the people in the area and I begged them to stop. The tanods can attest to that,” he said.

He also said he could not have committed physical injury against Banua because he was not inside the vehicle when the driver was brought to the hospital.

“When I arrived in the area, I saw Banua bloodied. I brought him to Cebu City Medical Center. Inside the pickup vehicle of Barangay Tejero were three tanods and PO2 Cabañero. I was at the back of the pickup. God knows Banua is lying,” he said.

Despite what happened, the councilor said he will continue to support the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“We’re supposed to be partners because we’re both in the government, we should work together against the criminals.”

Tumulak, who was appointed as deputy mayor for police matters, said that even during his first term, he sponsored resolutions covering the donated patrol cars to the police.

“Was it my fault if I gave them patrol cars? During my first term, I was the one who sponsored the resolution to give them that, their gear and their allowances because I’m very supportive of the police,” he said in Cebuano. /