ROAD rage suspect David Lim Jr. maintained his innocence to charges that he tried to kill a nurse during a traffic row in Kamputhaw Village, Cebu City, last March 19.
Assisted by his lawyer Esteban Mendoza, Lim pleaded not guilty to frustrated homicide during his arraignment before Judge Ricky Jones Macabaya of the Regional Trial Court Branch 5 on Tuesday, August 15.
Lim, 28, nephew of suspected drug lord Peter Lim, shot and wounded Ephraim Nuñal on F. Sotto Street in Barangay Kamputhaw. The incident was caught on a car’s dashboard camera and went viral.
The pretrial conference of the case will begin after the arraignment, said Nuñal’s counsel Mundlyn Martin.
The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor will conduct a new a preliminary investigation into the frustrated homicide and possession of illegal ammunition charges against Lim.
This came after Judges Alexander Acosta and Macabaya granted Lim’s omnibus motion to refer the case for preliminary investigation and suspend proceedings.
Acosta, of the Regional Trial Court Branch 9, also granted the prosecution’s motion for issuance of a hold-departure order against Lim after he found the pleading to be “impressed with merit.”
Judge Macabaya is trying Lim’s frustrated homicide case while Judge Acosta is handling the possession of illegal ammunition case.
Lim posted bail of P24,000 for the frustrated homicide case and P120,000 for the illegal possession of ammunition case.
Tamae Bacu Takahashi, Lim’s girlfriend, is also facing charges for violating Article 275 of the Revised Penal Code, or the abandonment of a person in danger.
Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas ruled there was no “qualifying circumstance” for the case to be a frustrated murder, like treachery. (GMD)