BAÑOC
The controversial incident last Monday was like a movie with an unexpected twist of events.
In the morning, Barangay Tejero Councilman Jessilou Cadungog was reported as the victim in an alleged ambush, and PO3 Eugene Calumba of Parian police precinct was tagged a suspect. But in the afternoon, there was a 360 degree twist in the story as Cadungog became the suspect and Calumba, the victim.
It is because of two conflicting versions. To be fair and objective, let us evaluate the disputable facts and the undisputable ones on the incidents.
On Cadungog’s camp, his theory is that during the incident he disembarked from his brand new FJ cruiser vehicle while his driver, William Macaslang was heading to the gasoline station.
Macaslang noticed two men on board a motorcycle. When they came closer to him, he allegedly saw the back rider pulling out his gun. That prompted him to shoot first at the back rider who was identified later as PO3 Calumba.
Cadungog maintains that he and his driver were the victims of the alleged ambush.
On the PNP’s part, Gen. Debold Sinas claimed that PO3 Calumba and his driver Michael Banua, a police asset, were in a legitimate surveillance operation in the area in coordination with the neighboring police precincts.
Gen. Sinas asserts that his fallen policeman is the victim.
Which version is more credible?
Let us revisit the undisputable facts which are the following:
That PO3 Calumba was the one who got shot and died at Barangay Tejero Cebu City; that he was not able to fire his service fire arm as per paraffin test result; that William Macaslang admitted to shooting PO3 Calumba. That Banua survived the incident.
So can the unscathed Cadungog and his driver claim to be the victim? or is it the fallen PO3 Calumba? Is it not ridiculous that Cadungog and Macaslang who killed Calumba claimed to be the one being ambushed by the dead policeman who was not able to fire a single shot?
The additional evidence is the front windshield that was hit by two bullets being fired from inside the vehicle. This means that the motorcycle boarded by Calumba was positioned in-front of the FJ cruiser.
The situation refutes Macaslang’s claim. It is hard to imagine that Calumba as back rider pulled out his gun and aimed it at an invisible target behind a super black tinted windshield of a vehicle that was following him. Not even Coco Martin alias “Kuya Cardo” and Lito Lapid can make it.
Granting for the sake of entertainment that the invisible target of the vehicle following him is hit, he should accept his fate being crushed by the uncontrolled vehicle. This is really contrary to human behavior.
Is it not crystal clear that Cadungog’s camp is the one fabricating a story? How will this movie-like incident end?