Branch 23 Presiding Judge Anacleto Debalucos of the Cebu City Regional Trial Court has decided to defer the arraignment for the homicide charges against William Macaslang Jr. pending the Motion for Reconsideration filed by the complainants before the City Prosecutor’s Office.
Macaslang was the driver-bodyguard of Tejero Barangay Councilor Jessielou Cadungog who purportedly shot dead PO3 Eugene Calumba on July 30 after the latter allegedly tried to ambush him.
Lawyer Inocencio de la Cerna, the private prosecutor of the case, requested for the postponement of the arraignment saying that the complainants were able to file the motion for the panel of prosecutors to review the case on time.
De la Cerna said they have substantial evidence for the prosecutor to revert its first ruling to downgrade the cases from murder and attempted murder to homicide and attempted homicide.
Benjamin Militar, Macaslang’s counsel, however insisted that all the evidences have been presented during the inquest but were not given credence by the panel of prosecutors.
Militar said the request of the prosecution to postpone the proceedings is only a means to delay the delivery of justice.
The rescheduled arraignment is on November 9, or 60 business days later.