Suspect David Lim Jr. out on P144,000 bail

Wealthy scion David Lim Jr. had his mug shot taken at the regional police office following his surrender to face a road rage shooting case. —JUNJIE MENDOZA/CEBU DAILY NEWS

CEBU CITY—After spending two nights in jail, road rage shooting suspect David Lim Jr., scion of one of Cebu’s wealthiest families, can now go home.

The city prosecutor’s office set bail for Lim at P144,000 for two criminal charges in relation to the shooting and wounding of nurse Ephraim Nuñal during a traffic altercation on Sunday.

Assistant Prosecutor Ma. Theresa Casiño found probable cause to charge Lim, 28, with frustrated homicide and illegal possession of ammunition at the Regional Trial Court.

The bail consisted of P24,000 for the frustrated homicide case and P120,000 for the illegal possession of ammunition case.

The lawyer of the victim’s family had wanted a charge of frustrated murder filed against Lim, which police heeded.

Lim had surrendered to the regional police in an arrangement facilitated by Secretary Bong Go, special assistant to President Duterte.

Go’s help was sought by both Mayor Tomas Osmeña and the Lim family. Osmeña wanted Go to help after a court ignored a request for the issuance of an arrest warrant for Lim while the Lim family sought Go’s help to ensure the safety of Lim.

The surrender of Lim at 2 a.m. to the regional police office had caught city police and government officials by surprise.

Casiño downgraded the case to frustrated homicide since it was not proven that there was treachery on the part of Lim in shooting Nuñal in the left thigh and right ankle.

“A judicial examination of the evidence at hand would show that there is no sufficient basis to prove the existence of any of the circumstances stated therein (murder case),” said Casiño whose resolution was approved by City Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas.

As of 1 p.m. on Thursday, Lim was heading for the Cebu City Hall of Justice to post bail so he could go home.

“We’re happy and thankful with the ruling. I’m optimistic that this case won’t prosper in court. But it’s not words that count but the evidence behind the case,” said Lim’s lawyer Orlando Salatandre Jr.

A video of the road rage case went viral on social media after a concerned citizen uploaded it on Facebook.