IT’S a freedom that comes with a hefty price.
The driver/bodyguard of Barangay Tejero councilman Jessielou Cadungog is finally a free man when he was released on Monday from the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI-7) after posting bail.
But William Macaslang Jr. is now faced with a bigger dilemma – how to protect himself now that he is already outside the NBI office.
Macaslang posted bail of P36,000 on Monday for his remaining attempted homicide case.
But his lawyer Benjamin Militar, said his client is not completely happy.
“He (Macaslang) is also very concerned kay siya gud ang napasanginlan gyod (because he was the one being blamed). Primarily, we are really concerneds of the safety of both William Macaslang and Councilor Cadungog,” Militar said in a phone interview.
“The threat remains. There was really an attempt. We will continue to be vigilant about it,” he added.
Militar said it depends upon the discretion of Macaslang if the latter would seek protection.
“If ever we will seek for protection, murag NBI raman right now are the ones who are helping us,” he said.
Last Friday (Aug. 17), the camp of Macaslang also posted bail of P120,000 for the homicide case filed against him at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 17.
Macaslang was previously booked for murder and attempted murder by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) which were downgraded to homicide and frustrated homicide.
The charges stemmed from his admission that he shot PO3 Eugene Calumba out of “self-defense.”
Macaslang said Calumba, who was onboard a motorcycle driven by Michael Banua, allegedly pulled out a gun and aimed it towards
Cadungog’s vehicle.
The murder charge against Cadungog was also dismissed for the failure of the police to prove that the village official was involved in the killing of the slain policeman last July 30.
Meanwhile, lawyer Inocencio De La Cerna, legal counsel of CIDG-7, questioned the speedy resolution of Macaslang’s case.
“I find it irregular that in less than two weeks kay na resolved nila in record time. Supposedly, this is one of the biggest cases,” said De La Cerna.
The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) is now handling the cases relevant to the Cadungog ambush after the entire Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office inhibited.
De La Cerna added that cases in the PPO would usually take a minimum of 90 days to be resolved, due to the numerous pending cases in the office.
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