SCROLLING down: Both policeman and house owner were linked to drug trafficking although no charges were filed against them arising from their alleged involvement. Arrastre official and barangay leader Jessielou Cadungog and his family have reportedly vanished, leaving the house to a caretaker. The quiet since October 4 has been broken by the twin incidents of violence.
People are talking about
* 'POWER NAPS.' President Duterte's "power naps": He skipped four meetings with regional leaders at the 33rd Asean summit in Singapore. (If he missed that gala dinner Wednesday, make that five.) The Palace said he took "power naps to catch on his sleep." A "constantly punishing work schedule" is blamed by his communicators. What's wrong with taking a rest?
Not much maybe. It's just that he is the president, representing the country in the summit, and he could've missed other tasks, especially the ceremonies back home, but not the meetings in that gathering abroad.
* TOMAS SILENCE. Asked Thursday (November 15) by dyCM's Jason Monteclar, when Mayor Tomas Osmena would resume talking with media and break his self-imposed silence, his wife Councilor Margot -- who could very well serve as his spokesman -- said, "I don't know."
Twin Wednesday incidents
Both incidents happened Wednesday (November 14): in Barangay Calajoan, Minglanilla, PO2 Lord Romyth Canada, 38, was gunned down and his brother-in-law wounded; in Barangay Tejero, along U. Alviola St., the house of former barangay captain now Barangay Councilor Jessielou Cadungog was torched by six men who doused the structure with gasoline.
A common element was that the targets were both linked to illegal drugs. Canada was said to be in the "narco" list, while Cadungog was tagged by police as drug trafficking suspect after an attempt to ambush and kill him was foiled and a cop who with a police informant had been tailing him was shot and killed instead.
Things were quiet on the "drug killing" since that bloody Thursday, October 4, when 14 were killed in many parts of Cebu, with five of the victims gunned down in Barangay Malubog, Cebu City but leaving two survivors who talked about how they narrowly escaped death. A request of the Senate minority for an inquiry into the Cebu killings must have also added to the "pressure" to suspend the violent operations for awhile.
Then, the resumption last Wednesday. Is it on again?
Hooded men: scary scene
What could strike fear to any peace-loving resident was the sight of four of six men, the arsonists, who were caught on camera with black hoods on as they went about dousing Cadungog's house with gasoline and making other preparations before they would set it on fire.
Merchants of violence, akin to some terrorist group set to inflict destruction in a sleeping neighborhood, behaving as if they were in no danger of being stopped by law enforcers.
More terrifying was the prospect of a bigger tragedy, which could have taken a toll on lives and properties in Tejero, had the fire at the Cadungog house not been discovered early and controlled.
Where is Cadungog?
The arrastre official and barangay council member and his family had reportedly left the house and gone into parts unknown. He filed a six-month leave of absence from his work and must be holed in some place where he and his loved ones could be safe.
Part of the punishment, minus trial, is hounding the suspected drug trafficker until he could not be found and killed.
Several weeks ago, a bar belonging to Peter Lim and a warehouse of his brother were also targeted for burning but the attempts failed. The businessman and his sibling have also been missing from the Cebu scene.
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