Cebu cop killed in alleged ambush attempt on councilman laid to rest

Police officers carry the remains of PO3 Eugene Calumba to his final resting place in Barangay Cadawinonan, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on July 5, 2018. Photo: Raffy Cabristante

DUMAGUETE CITY — A week after he was killed in a shootout in Cebu City, Police Officer 3 Eugene Calumba was laid to rest at a memorial park on Sunday here in his home province of Negros Oriental.

Calumba was shot dead in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City on July 30 by the bodyguard of Tejero councilman Jessielou Cadungog.

The bodyguard, William Macaslang, said that he thought the police officer was trying to kill Cadungog.

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 denies that Calumba was a hitman, saying that the officer, who had been assigned to the Pari-an Police Station in Cebu City, was doing surveillance work.

Police asset Michael Banua, who was with Calumba during the incident, is now in police custody.

After the supposed assassination attempt, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said that some police officers are involved in the recent spate of killings in the city.

Calumba’s  colleagues arrived in full force at his funeral. Most were from the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NORPPO), where he spent most of his career.

Among the high-ranking officials in attendance were NORPPO acting director Senior Superintendent Raul Tacaca, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) chief Senior Superintendent Royina Garma, and Dumaguete City Police chief Superintendent Jonathan Pineda.

Earlier, the Philippine flag at NORPPO’s Camp Francisco Fernandez Jr. in Sibulan town was flown at half-mast.

Calumba’s wife Rosemarie vehemently denied accusations that her husband was a hit man, telling reporters that her husband was a dedicated police officer.

Garma said that Calumba will be posthumously receiving honors, while his family will be receiving a pension so long as his widow does not remarry.

She also said they have also filed murder and frustrated murder cases against Macaslang and Cadungog, based on the testimony of two witnesses who said that the barangay councilman was in the vehicle during the shootout.

Garma said that the two witnesses have claimed that they heard Cadungog telling Macaslang, “Biraha, biraha [Kill him, kill him]."

“Maraming witness na nakakita talaga, but they are afraid. They’re willing to give information talaga," said Garma, who added that the witnesses' statements were "overwhelming" and consistent.

"[P]ero ayaw nilang mag-execute ng affidavit out of fear, because they know the capacity of Mr. Cadungog noong barangay captain pa siya up to now,” the CCPO chief said. — BM, GMA News