Shooting of cop was self-defense

William Macaslang, the driver and bodyguard of Barangay Tejero councilman Jessielou Cadungog, claimed self-defense in shooting to death Police Officer 3 Eugene Calumba of the Parian Police Station.

Macaslang’s legal counsel, lawyer Benjamin Militar, said they had filed last Wednesday their counter-affidavit to the murder and frustrated murder complaints the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-7 had also separately lodged against his client before the office of the Regional State Prosecutor (RSP).

In his counteraffidavit, Macaslang, a resident of MJ Cuenco, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City, claimed selfdefense when there was an attempt to his life.

He said Calumba, the backrider of Michael Banua, an alleged police asset, allegedly pulled his gun while the tandem was beside the driver’s seat.

At around 8:15 a.m. on July 30, Macaslang said he was driving the FJ Cruiser of Cadungog after he was told to refuel it.

The FJ Cruiser was parked overnight at Cadungog’s office at the Oriental Port and Allied Services Corporation (OPASCOR) along Don Benedicto Street, North Reclamation Area in Cebu City.

PRIOR TO THE

INCIDENT

Macaslang said he went together with Cadungog to OPASCOR using the latter’s pick-up.

He was then told to return Cadungog’s pick-up to his residence, which was just nearby.

Later, Macaslang went back to OPASCOR.

While at OPASCOR, Cadungog decided to have his FJ Cruiser to be refueled. Thus, together with Macaslang, they proceeded to a gas station.

However, Cadungog allegedly changed his mind, disembarked and told Macaslang to pick him up at the Tejero Barangay Hall.

While traversing T. Padilla Extension, Macaslang alleged he noticed from the rear view mirror two men riding a motorcycle wearing helmet with covered faces riding in tandem, following him.

Sensing danger due to the suspicious actuations of two men riding on a motorcycle and the death threats his employer had received, he kept an eye on them while driving.

Later, when the motorcycle was beside the driver’s seat, the backrider later identified as Calumba allegedly pulled his gun, which prompted Macaslang to shoot him using the firearm of Cadungog left inside the vehicle.

Banua, the driver of the motorcycle, moved in front of his driven vehicle pulled out a gun, but he shoots him first through the front windshield of the vehicle.

Militar said aside from the counteraffidavit of Macaslang they have three witnesses that would counter the allegations of the CIDG.

Militar said they have a witness who would negate the statements of the child, who executed an affidavit claiming that he saw Cadungog inside the vehicle during the incident.

“We had doubt with the witness…kay among witness wala kakita aning bataa didto. If naa siya didto, we are wondering ngano wala ni gisulti sa school,” he said.

Militar said Cadungog was not in the scene when the incident happened, contrary to the allegation of the CIDG.

He added they were adopting the CCTV footages which were submitted by Cadungog, attached in his counteraffidavit.

Meanwhile, Militar said they had filed yesterday a motion for consolidation before the RSP requesting the latter to have only one investigating prosecutor to resolve the complaints filed in relation to the herein incident.

Earlier, Macaslang and Cadungog filed an attempted murder and illegal possession of firearm against Banua before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office which was under regular filing.

“Considering same set of facts, and supposed victims, we are requesting nga iusa nalang,” Militar said to avoid conflicting resolutions. —

Manto/GAN

Mylen P.