TWO weeks after being ambushed, businessman Nicolas Ting felt well enough yesterday to record his statements on the attack, which could help police investigators and his lawyer.
He said he was saddened by the death of his older brother Manuel, particularly since they were trying to reconcile when they were ambushed less than 24 hours apart last June.
Nicolas told his lawyer, Gloria Dalawampu, that his nephew Larry Ting owed him about P23 million.
Larry was previously arrested on suspicion he planned the attack on Nicolas, but he is now out on bail and has denied any involvement. He said he would never hurt his uncle.
Nicolas also told his lawyer his car tire was punctured at least thrice in Cebu, apparently to make him an easy target.
(This is consistent with one arrested suspect’s statement, that Nicolas had been placed under surveillance before the attack.)
His daughter in-law, Mandaue City Councilor Emmarie Ouano-Dizon, said yesterday the businessman is already out of the
intensive care unit (ICU), but will probably have to undergo months of rehabilitation.
She said Nicolas, while recovering, cannot stand and walk on his own.
A gunman on a motorcycle pumped bullets into Nicolas, who was aboard his CRV, in Barangay Cabancalan, Mandaue City last June 21.
He suffered five gunshot wounds, one of which damaged a portion of his spinal cord.
The day after he was shot, his brother Manuel was gunned down in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City. Manuel did not make it alive.
A week later, police arrested four suspects in Nicolas’s shooting: suspected middleman Edwin Juab, 28; motorcycle driver Jordan Miral, 30; the 16-year old alleged gunman; and Larry Ting.
They were charged with frustrated murder, including the 16-year-old who, social workers said, is capable of acting with discernment.
The three were detained, but Larry raised P200,000 as bail. He said he did not know the three others and was in no way involved in the attack on his uncle.
Dalawampu spent about an hour yesterday talking to Nicolas, an exchange they video-recorded. She said this will help her prepare documents to be used in a case against the suspects.
At one point, Dalawampu advised her client to rest for a while, but Nicolas wanted to keep going, until everything his lawyer needed to know was confirmed. (OCP)