Cuizon identifies 1 of 4 gunmen

The Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) has a breakthrough in its investigation on the slay try against labor leader Antonio Cuizon, who is now recuperating after an ambush last Monday in Barangay Uling, Naga.

CPPO Intelligence Chief Lemuel Obon, in an interview with The Freeman last night, said that they have already identified one of the four assailants, who was armed with an M-16 Armalite rifle.

Obon, however, refused to elaborate on the positive development fearing that doing so would risk the eventual resolution of the case.

He said it was Cuizon who described one of the gunmen because the victim was able to see the perpetrator.

"Nakakita pa man siya kay nilabang pa man ang katong nagdala ug Armalite usa siya gibirahan, so naa siyay clearer view sa nawong (He had a clear view of one of the gunmen because the one with the Armalite crossed the street)," Obon said.

He said they are yet to talk with the companions of Cuizon during the incident to see if their statements would jive as far as the identity of the gunman is concerned.

The 49-year old Cuizon, who is the president of the Panaghiusa sa Mamumuo sa Atlas (PAMA), was ambushed in sitio Gaway-gaway in barangay Uling which is very near the common boundary of the town of Naga and Toledo City.

Cuizon was driving his dark gray Toyota Corolla when he was fired at. Luckily the members of his family - his mother, two aunts and two grandchildren who were onboard the car with Cuizon were unhurt.

The four assailants were onboard two motorcycles. Two of them were apparently waiting for the victim while the two others tailed Cuizon's car before overtaking it several meters before the site of the ambush.

Cuizon was able to drive himself to the Police sub-station in Barangay DAS, Toledo and was driven to the hospital by the policemen.

The labor leader is still confined at the Chong Hua Hospital since he is to undergo another operation to remove a bullet from his shoulder.

Aside from the bullet that remains embedded on his shoulder, another bullet grazed Cuizon's right forearm and left neck, and four of the fingers on his right hand were blown off.

Obon added that Cuizon has accused rival labor leader Marcos Billones and his members to have something to do about the incident. This accusation is in the affidavit of Cuizon.

However, Obon said that there is no evidence that would link Billones to the crime. He added that the allegations on the labor leader's involvement stemmed from the threats that Cuizon received from the camp of his rival.

Provincial Police Director Vicente Loot said that aside from the labor conflict among the former workers of the Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation (ACMDC) as the possible cause of the incident, they are also looking into the involvement of the New Peoples' Army (NPA).

"The NPA cannot be discounted because other members nga nakontra ni Cuizon have relatives who are in the movement. But its not the NPA as group but only those who are capable and related to the members of the other labor unions," Loot said.

ACMDC, which used to be the biggest copper mine in Asia, was forced to cease its operations in 1994 due to labor problems, the drop in the price of copper, and ballooning debts. - Ryan P. Borinaga