By Calvin Cordova
CEBU CITY – A policeman was killed Monday by the bodyguard of a former barangay captain while allegedly conducting surveillance, according to the police.
Police Officer 3 Eugune Alcain Calumba, assigned in Drug Enforcement Unit of Police Sation 1 in Cebu City, was shot dead in an alleged shootout in T. Padilla St. Cor. S Osmena Cebu City with one of the Bodyguards of Former Tejero Barangay Captain and now councilman Jessielou Cadungog Monday morning. (Juan Carlo de Vela/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), identified the slain cop as PO3 Eugene Calumba whose body was found near the motorcycle he was riding in.
His companion, Michael Banua, was taken into police custody as witness, Sinas said.
Sinas said Calumba and Banua were headed to the police station after conducting a surveillance in the barangay when they were shot by the bodyguard of former Tejero barangay captain Jessielou Cadungong.
Cadungog, however, belied Sinas’ accusation, saying it was the policeman who attempted to ambush him that prompted his bodyguard, a certain Jun, to retaliate.
Cadungog said the attempted ambush took place shortly after he got off his sports utility vehicle (SUV).
“It was possible that the gunman didn’t know me. They thought I was the one who was in the car. I got off earlier because I planned to go to the barangay hall and I instructed my bodyguard to gas up,” Cadungog said.
Jun said he was cruising along T. Padilla Street around 8 a.m. when a motorcycle with two men on a motorcycle drove beside the driver’s seat.
Jun admitted he was the one who fired the first shot after he saw the backrider draw a gun from his waist.
Cadungog said Jun used his .357 Magnum revolver that he left in the car when he alighted.
According to Jun, Calumba and Banua were not able to fire shots.
Cadungog said when he heard gunshots, he tried to look for Jun but he decided to hide for fear that the gunman had cohorts.
Jun said he ran for safety after shooting the two men, leaving behind their bullet-riddled vehicle.
The body of Calumba was found near the motorcycle, about 500 meters from Cadungong’s vehicle which bore two holes on the windshield. A .45 caliber pistol and a magazine were recovered near his body.
Calumba, who suffered a gunshot wound near the armpit, was identified based on the police ID found in his body.
Cadungog was accompanied by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña when he showed up at the headquarters of the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas about six hours after the shooting incident.
In front of reporters, Cadungog read a text message that he received a few days before the attack, advising him to beef up his security as he and Mayor Osmeña are targets of assassination plots.
“Some police officials objected. The plan was aborted. If anything happens to you, there will be a big trouble,” part of the text message read.
“I don’t know why they are doing this to me when I am not involved in illegal activities,” said Cadungog.
Osmena, for his part, said he believed that the police were involved in the foiled ambush on Cadungog.
“Nasakpan jud (They were caught). The police are very much involved in the crime and in what has been happening in the city,” said Osmeña.
When informed about Sinas’ pronouncement that Calumba was not out to kill Cadungog, Osmeña said: “The police are lying to their teeth.”
Sinas insisted that Calumba was a victim, adding he was in Barangay Tejero to conduct surveillance on illegal drugs.
He said Banua was looking for a job in the city when he was asked by Calumba to drive for him.
“They are both from Negros Oriental. Since Banua was looking for a job, he was asked by Calumba to be his driver,” said Sinas.
Sinas said Calumba and Banua were on their way to the police station when they were allegedly shot by Cadungog and his bodyguard.
Sinas said that based on their investigation, Calumba was not able to fire a shot.
“We will investigate if Calumba was really able to fire his gun. If he was able to fire a shot, then that’s another story,” said Sinas.
Sinas maintained there was no ambush that took place.
“We will file charges against Cadungog,” said Sinas.
Sinas also lambasted Cebu City councilor Dave Tumulak for confiscating the identification card of Banua.
“This is a police matter. He is not authorized to confiscate the ID of Banua because that is tantamount to tampering of evidence. He even posted on his Facebook account that Banua is a suspect. Banua is our witness here, he is not a suspect,” said Sinas.
“I am urging Tumulak to show up at the Cebu City Police Office headquarters because he could be charged for obstruction of justice for interfering,” said Sinas.
Sinas said a background check on Cadungog will also be conducted.
Banua, on the other hand, was identified as an anti-crime volunteer. Found in his possession was an ID card from Camp Crame’s Directorate for Intelligence showing that he is a Lambat Sibat volunteer.
Cadungog was the original owner of the .45 caliber pistol that was recovered from SPO1 Adonis Dumpit, who was killed by police and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an anti-drug operation in Tagbilaran City, Bohol last month.
Cadungog has said that he already sold the firearm to Dumpit.
Police Officer 3 Eugune Alcain Calumba, assigned in Drug Enforcement Unit of Police Sation 1 in Cebu City, was shot dead in an alleged shootout in T. Padilla St. Cor. S Osmena Cebu City with one of the Bodyguards of Former Tejero Barangay Captain and now councilman Jessielou Cadungog Monday morning. (Juan Carlo de Vela/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), identified the slain cop as PO3 Eugene Calumba whose body was found near the motorcycle he was riding in.
His companion, Michael Banua, was taken into police custody as witness, Sinas said.
Sinas said Calumba and Banua were headed to the police station after conducting a surveillance in the barangay when they were shot by the bodyguard of former Tejero barangay captain Jessielou Cadungong.
Cadungog, however, belied Sinas’ accusation, saying it was the policeman who attempted to ambush him that prompted his bodyguard, a certain Jun, to retaliate.
Cadungog said the attempted ambush took place shortly after he got off his sports utility vehicle (SUV).
“It was possible that the gunman didn’t know me. They thought I was the one who was in the car. I got off earlier because I planned to go to the barangay hall and I instructed my bodyguard to gas up,” Cadungog said.
Jun said he was cruising along T. Padilla Street around 8 a.m. when a motorcycle with two men on a motorcycle drove beside the driver’s seat.
Jun admitted he was the one who fired the first shot after he saw the backrider draw a gun from his waist.
Cadungog said Jun used his .357 Magnum revolver that he left in the car when he alighted.
According to Jun, Calumba and Banua were not able to fire shots.
Cadungog said when he heard gunshots, he tried to look for Jun but he decided to hide for fear that the gunman had cohorts.
Jun said he ran for safety after shooting the two men, leaving behind their bullet-riddled vehicle.
The body of Calumba was found near the motorcycle, about 500 meters from Cadungong’s vehicle which bore two holes on the windshield. A .45 caliber pistol and a magazine were recovered near his body.
Calumba, who suffered a gunshot wound near the armpit, was identified based on the police ID found in his body.
Cadungog was accompanied by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña when he showed up at the headquarters of the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas about six hours after the shooting incident.
In front of reporters, Cadungog read a text message that he received a few days before the attack, advising him to beef up his security as he and Mayor Osmeña are targets of assassination plots.
“Some police officials objected. The plan was aborted. If anything happens to you, there will be a big trouble,” part of the text message read.
“I don’t know why they are doing this to me when I am not involved in illegal activities,” said Cadungog.
Osmena, for his part, said he believed that the police were involved in the foiled ambush on Cadungog.
“Nasakpan jud (They were caught). The police are very much involved in the crime and in what has been happening in the city,” said Osmeña.
When informed about Sinas’ pronouncement that Calumba was not out to kill Cadungog, Osmeña said: “The police are lying to their teeth.”
Sinas insisted that Calumba was a victim, adding he was in Barangay Tejero to conduct surveillance on illegal drugs.
He said Banua was looking for a job in the city when he was asked by Calumba to drive for him.
“They are both from Negros Oriental. Since Banua was looking for a job, he was asked by Calumba to be his driver,” said Sinas.
Sinas said Calumba and Banua were on their way to the police station when they were allegedly shot by Cadungog and his bodyguard.
Sinas said that based on their investigation, Calumba was not able to fire a shot.
“We will investigate if Calumba was really able to fire his gun. If he was able to fire a shot, then that’s another story,” said Sinas.
Sinas maintained there was no ambush that took place.
“We will file charges against Cadungog,” said Sinas.
Sinas also lambasted Cebu City councilor Dave Tumulak for confiscating the identification card of Banua.
“This is a police matter. He is not authorized to confiscate the ID of Banua because that is tantamount to tampering of evidence. He even posted on his Facebook account that Banua is a suspect. Banua is our witness here, he is not a suspect,” said Sinas.
“I am urging Tumulak to show up at the Cebu City Police Office headquarters because he could be charged for obstruction of justice for interfering,” said Sinas.
Sinas said a background check on Cadungog will also be conducted.
Banua, on the other hand, was identified as an anti-crime volunteer. Found in his possession was an ID card from Camp Crame’s Directorate for Intelligence showing that he is a Lambat Sibat volunteer.
Cadungog was the original owner of the .45 caliber pistol that was recovered from SPO1 Adonis Dumpit, who was killed by police and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an anti-drug operation in Tagbilaran City, Bohol last month.
Cadungog has said that he already sold the firearm to Dumpit.