Foiled assassination?
Was former Barangay Tejero, Cebu City captain Jessielou Cadungog the target of a foiled assassination?
Cadungog’s bodyguard certainly thought so after he pulled the trigger on the men who allegedly tailed the Toyota FJ Cruiser he was driving in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City at past 8 a.m.
The Sports Utility Vehicle is owned by Cadungog.
The bodyguard chose not to reveal his identity for security reasons.
Speaking with reporters at the National Bureau of Investigation, the bodyguard claimed he was driving on T. Padilla Extension to have the car refueled when he saw two men with helmets on board a motorcycle allegedly tail him and subsequently drove right beside the driver's side.
Feeling that something was amiss, the bodyguard said he kept an eye on the two and allegedly saw the man riding in pillion pull a gun out. Anticipating an attack, the bodyguard used the gun Cadungog left in the jeep and fired first.
He said he made sure to hit the supposed attackers to make sure that they could not fire back. He then stopped the jeep at a distance, ran away, and sought help from the residents in the area.
“Ako ang gipadrive ni Kap kay aron magpagasolina… niaginod kay traffic man, nakapabor ko sa wala… pagtan-aw nako sa side mirror, naa naka-motor nga nagtap-tap, hibong ko ngano sila mosud sa wala nga side. Pagtungod nila, nilingi sila sa driver's seat, nibunot man sila… isip pagdepensa sa ako kaugalingon, nibunot pusil pud ko padung nila kay klaro man kaayo nga mubunot gyud sila,” he said.
As it turned out, the man the bodyguard hit was a policeman, identified as PO2 Eugene Alain Calumba, who was assigned at the Parian Police Station. The one who drove the motorcycle was identified as Michael Banua, a police asset.
At the Police Regional Office-7, Chief Supt. Debold Sinas belied assassination allegations and said Calumba and Banua were doing surveillance in Barangay Tejero, which is “heavily infested” with drugs.
“No assassination took place. The cops are conducting surveillance. They shot at my men first and, defenselessly, my men drove to the other side before they fell to the ground,” Sinas said.
He said the police will file charges against Cadungog's bodyguard.
SUSPICION
Cadungog believes he might have been the target of the supposed attack because he was the one driving the car until he asked his bodyguard to have it refueled.
About a month ago, he reportedly received a text message from unknown number telling him and Mayor Tomas Osmeña to be careful.
“…lift up your security privately with people you can trust. Also, be aware of Garma. Be careful,” the text message reads.
He reportedly changed his routine after receiving the message.
“Akong oras og lakaw, ako giusab. Naa koy gipa back-up nga akong tawo, mao na kuyog kuyog nako, usahay naay tulo,” he said.
He even asked his neighbors to help and inform him of anything suspicious in the neighborhood.
NBI PROBE
Cadungog and his bodyguard are now in NBI custody “for safety purposes.”
Mayor Tomas Osmeña also asked the bureau to investigate the incident.
“They should continue the investigation pero dili ko makasalig og police…because the ones who was killed was a policeman. And then the one, the hitman, who was captured, was picked up forcibly by CIDG from the Waterfront station. Why did they pick them up? NBI hopefully will be looking into this matter,” Osmeña told reporters.
The mayor said the incident is “very unusual and questionable” because of alleged involvement of law enforcers.
He said he has not received information that Cadungog has engaged in the illegal drugs business and the illegal drugs angle is a possibly made “as an excuse” to have him killed.
NBI-7 Assistant Regional Director Dominador Cimafranca said they will look into the case and decide whether or not to open a formal investigation.
TUMULAK
Meanwhile, the police invited Councilor David Tumulak, the deputy mayor for police matters, for questioning, after he allegedly tampered with the crime scene in Barangay Tejero.
Tumulak was the first to arrive at the scene and allegedly took Banua's identification card and the asset himself under custody in handcuffs.
Tumulak denied tampering with the evidence and said he brought Banua to the hospital believing that the latter was wounded. He then brought Banua to the Waterfront Police Station for profiling.
But Sinas said Tumulak should explain his actions as there are rules to follow when a crime is committed.
“Kahit councilor pa siya, we have laws to abide. That was a crime scene and you are not allowed to tamper a crime scene,” Sinas said.
SUPPORT
In a statement yesterday, the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines condemned the supposed attempt at Cadungog's life.
"We stand by Mr. Cadungog and condemn this sordid attempt to justify and cover-up for what is clear police involvement," said the group's national president, Michael Mendoza.
"This is something that we should not allow. Mr. Cadungog is a respected Labor Leader. He is also the ViceChairman of OPASCOR, one of the largest workers' enterprises in the country. He recently won in the election as a Councilor of Barangay Tejero of which he was formerly the Barangay Captain," he added.
“We cannot keep our silence in the face of the impunity that so-called police operations create for labor and all decent society. Particularly when they act as Judge, Jury and Executioner,” he said further.