REGIONAL Trial Court Judge Alexander Acosta raised from P300,000 to P500,000 the travel bond of road rage suspect David Lim Jr.
Prosecution lawyer Mundlyn Misal-Martin said that Acosta partially granted their motion for reconsideration to increase the bond to compensate for the medical expenses of her client, Ephraim Nuñal.
While Acosta has not ruled on their plea for a hold-departure order, Martin said that the increase in Lim’s travel bond is enough.
Apart from the bond required by Acosta, Judge Ricky Jones Macabaya also directed Lim to pay another bond of P200,000 to “ensure his return to the Philippines.”
Acosta and Macabaya both granted Lim’s request to allow him to join his family for a cruise on May 18 to June 8.
Lim and his family intends to go to Alaska, the United States and Vancouver, Canada.
Acosta granted Lim’s motion to travel since the prosecution has not prayed for the issuance of a hold-departure order.
Likewise, Acosta said that the crime charged is not among those that affects national security, public safety, or public health.
Acosta required Lim, though, to furnish him a photocopy of his passport and report to him within three days upon his arrival in the Philippines.
Macabaya, for his part, found “no compelling reason to impair the accused’s right to travel.”
He also declined to issue a hold-departure order against Lim.
“If the accused had the intent to evade criminal prosecution, he could have absconded after the incident,” he said.
Macabaya is trying Lim’s frustrated homicide case while Acosta is handling his possession of illegal ammunition case.
Lim shot and wounded Nuñal, who is a nurse, last March 19.
Lim’s arraignment for his frustrated homicide case is set on June 20 while his arraignment for his possession of illegal ammunition case is set on June 16.