Wednesday, May 14, 2008 Van driver cleared by police
THE family of retired Master Sgt. Henry A. Comandao showed up at the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Homicide Section yesterday to clear his name of any involvement in the activities of the three alleged swindlers who died in an ambush in Barangay Kalunasan last Monday.
Escorted by her two sons, Comandao’s wife, who asked not to be named for security reasons, cried foul over insinuations that her husband coddled the suspected swindlers every time they arrived in Cebu.
“That is a very, very, very wrong statement,” she told reporters after her meeting with Homicide Section Chief Mario Monilar, who later cleared Comandao of any involvement in the activities of the suspected swindlers.
The wife said the report has “besmirched, humiliated and destroyed” the reputation of their family.
Comandao is confined at the Perpetual Succour Hospital after getting wounded in an ambush carried out by still unidentified men in an uphill area in Sitio Oppra Unit 5, Kalunasan, Cebu City last Monday afternoon.
He was driving the white Hyundai van (GPZ 457) when three men on two motorcycles peppered it with bullets, killing all his three passengers.
Cleared
In a separate interview, Monilar told reporters that Comandao has been cleared of any involvement and would no longer be investigated, following the clarification made by his wife.
“If they did not explain their side, people will continue to speculate that he is involved. That is why we are thankful to them for showing up. The Homicide Section sympathizes with the family, for the pain they are experiencing, and with those who were killed in the ambush,” Monilar said.
Suspected swindlers Jose and Evelyn Magno died on the spot while another victim identified as Medase Castro died before reaching the hospital.
The incident happened just minutes after Jose and Castro, who are believed to be members of a swindling syndicate, have been released from the Cebu City jail after posting bail bonds for estafa and corruption of public official charges.
Evelyn, who fetched her husband from the city jail, is also believed to be a member of the same group, which swindles people through a modus operandi known locally as “budol-budol.”
Rental
The city police received information that she was also arrested for an alleged swindling offense in Bais City, Oriental Negros.
Comandao’s wife clarified that Evelyn, whom she called Mrs. Magno, rented the van to fetch Jose from the city jail.
Evelyn was referred to Comandao by their godson, Randy Sandagan, who works in the law firm that assisted the suspected swindlers in putting up the bail bond. They were supposed to get P2,000 as fee.
Comandao’s wife said her family, particularly her husband, have never met or have known any of the three suspected swindlers prior to the time their van was rented.
“Ang akong husband ug kadtong mga tawo nga misakay sa van, wala to niya makita ever before. That was their first meeting (last Monday). Wala mi kaila ana nila (My husband and those people have never met before. We don’t know them),” she said.
She said that her husband even sent Evelyn a text message last Sunday, asking her to describe herself so that Comandao would recognize her when he fetches her the following day. (JST)
