Prosecutor’s office inhibits after threat
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña alleged that the head of the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office, Liceria Rabillas, was threatened that resulted in the office to inhibit from handling the cases filed in connection with the alleged ambush attempt of Tejero councilman Jessielou Cadungog.
“I heard that the chief of city fiscal was threatened… She did not admit it or anything but somebody said she was threatened. It doesn’t make sense because she’s not even personally involved. She assigned three prosecutors to study the case. It shows malice on the part on those who are filing the case,” Osmeña said yesterday.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) filed murder and frustrated murder cases against Cadungog and his driver, William Macaslang.
They also filed physical injury, grave coercion and grave threats against City Councilor Dave Tumulak.
Osmeña said there should be transparency in solving this case so that the public will be aware of what really happened.
“That’s why it is very important that we will be transparent about this so that people will see for themselves that this is the police department of Cebu,” he said.
Last Tuesday, the city prosecutor’s office decided to let all prosecutors inhibit themselves from handling the cases.
These will now be handled by the Regional State Prosecutor’s Office.
The decision was because of a motion filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) asking for inhibition of all city prosecutors.
Lawyer Inocencio de la Cerna, legal counsel of CIDG-7, earlier said that the motion was filed because of the presence of a “high-ranking official” when the case was filed last August 1.
Meanwhile, Tumulak is confident that word war between Osmeña and some police officials will not affect their professional relationship.
Tumulak, who is also the deputy mayor for police matters, made the statement after his meeting with Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director Senior Superintendent Royina Garma yesterday.
“Ang PNP and Cebu City (government) nagtinabangay man para sa kaayuhan sa siyudad. Ako awhag di mo (the Cebuanos) mabalaka kay lig-on gihapon ang relasyon sa atong kapulisan ug sa siyudad sa Sugbu,” Tumulak assured.
He said that they discussed in the meeting how to make the city more peaceful and safe and did not tackle the case filed by CIDG-7.
He said that he is ready to face the cases filed and he has discussed this with his lawyer.
Tumulak said that he only followed his “moral obligation” to help an injured person during the incident when asked if the charges filed against him has affected him as the deputy mayor for police matters.
“Bisan pa man sa pagpasaka og kaso, akong girespeto, ang kapulisan labi na kay nag-agad sila sa atong mga witnesses. Ang ato lang gibuhat kay ang pagluwas sa usa ka tawo nga nakita nato nga nagkadugo and that’s my moral obligation, ang pagluwas ni Banua,” Tumulak said.
Tumulak is referring to Michael Banua, the driver of the late PO3 Eugene Calumba.
Calumba was shot dead by Macaslang on July 30 claiming that Calumba pulled out a firearm when he got near Cadungog’s car.
Tumulak, who got to the crime scene first, rushed Banua to the nearest hospital.
However, police claimed that Tumulak mauled Banua. Police also clarified that Calumba and Banua were out on surveillance. —
Odessa O. Leyson and Mae Clydyl L. Avila/MBG