THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-Central Visayas promised that no cover-up will happen in the investigation on the death of an anti-drug operative in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City on Monday morning, July 30.
Superintendent Reyman Tolentin, PRO 7 public information chief, said they have no reason to hide the truth and maintained that PO3 Eugene Calumba, a Parian Police Station-Drug Enforcement Unit member, was not an assassin.
He said they are mourning the death of Calumba, a native of Negros Oriental.
"If you say he was a hitman; a dead man tells no tales, so he cannot defend himself," Tolentin said. "We are mourning because of his loss. So if you say anything he was a hitman or whatever, we would not believe that for the moment."
Calumba was riding a black motorcycle driven by police civilian asset Michael Banua when he was shot by the bodyguard of Tejero Barangay Councilor Jessielou Cadungog past 8 a.m.
The police officer was reportedly conducting surveillance on illegal drug activities in Tejero, which is under the Waterfront Police Station's jurisdiction, before the incident.
Waterfront Police Station Chief Jomar Pomarejos said the operation was well-coordinated with Calumba and Parian Police Station Chief Kenneth Paul Albotra.
Banua tried to speed off ahead of a red car that turned out to be Cadungog's to return to the Parian Police Station. Then Calumba was shot.
Pomarejos said initial investigation showed the trajectory of the bullets came from inside the vehicle. There were no signs that the car was shot. (KAL/VoxPop Cebu)