As DOJ issues lookout bulletin: Nurse shooter to surrender

CEBU, Philippines - David Lim, Jr., the suspect in the road rage shooting incident Sunday, will surrender to authorities today.

Police Regional Office-7 Director Noli Taliño confirmed the surrender plan to The Freeman last night.

“I was informed by the Chief PNP to call Sec. Bong Go and arrange the said surrender. Also, Sec. Go directed the OP in Visayas through Sec. Dino to announce said surrender. David, Jr. has to face the consequences of what he has done,” his text message yesterday reads.

“I am now talking to the family and facilitating the surrender. I also assured them of the safety of David Jr. in our custody if he surrenders,” the message reads further.

Bong Go, Special Assistant to President Rodrigo Duterte, also confirmed the same.

In a statement, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Mike Dino said Judelyn Lim, mother of David Jr., sought the advice from Secretary Go who, in turn, advised her to surrender his son to Taliño.

Go then told Dino to announce on behalf of the Office of the President the surrender of David Jr.

“Importante mag-surrender na para mahatagan og hustisya ang biktima,” Dino quoted Go as saying.

This development came as the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin (ILBO) against Lim.

“Considering the gravity of the offense, there is a strong possibility that he may attempt to place himself beyond the reach of the legal processes of this department by leaving the country. We, thus, deem the issuance of an ILBO against the subject prudent in order to at least monitor the itineraries of his flight, travel, and/or whereabouts,” the bulletin reads.

The bulletin was furnished to the National Bureau of Investigation and Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

In an earlier statement released yesterday, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino said an ILBO is the best option to prevent Lim from leaving the country because a Hold Departure Order (HDO) cannot be issued just yet in the absence of a case in court.

“A criminal case pending before the Regional Trial Court precedes the issuance of HDO because it is the RTC that should direct the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to hold the departure of the person named in the case,” the statement reads.

“Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Mike Dino today called up Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III who agreed to issue an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against David Lim Jr. who was identified as the one who shot a nurse at the height of an altercation on the road Sunday dawn,” the statement reads further.

A source at the Bureau of Immigration-Cebu told The FREEMAN yesterday that no David Lim, Jr. has left the country, contrary to reports he has left for Hong Kong.

Not special

Elements of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) pursued him the other night upon orders of Osmeña but did not find him at his condominium and his father’s house.

“The police had already taken over. I only came into the picture because there was reluctance on the part of the police in moving aggressively,” Osmeña said yesterday.

“Hadlok sila kay ilado. Mao na akong tan-aw. Akong tan-aw talawan sila. Ako mismo, I will do it myself. I told Doria, if something happens to me, you have to answer this so nagpadala siya’g SWAT,” he added.

Osmeña said he will not allow the suspect to flee the city or the country without facing investigation.

“If you commit a crime here, I will run after you,” he said.

The mayor also sent a message to “spoiled brats” in the city, warning them that they are not special.

“I come from a powerful family, from the upper class. Ako, nauwaw gyod ko that there are people like this,” he said.

Osmeña said the family of David Lim, Jr. was cooperative when authorities, including the mayor, went to their house.

Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office, explained yesterday that the operation Sunday night was part of a hot pursuit.

“Sa Winland Tower, hot pursuit kasi may info doon. Doon naman sa Maria Luisa Village, hot pursuit din yun. Ang search warrant kasi- we need a search warrant issued by a judge, so hot pursuit operation yung ginawa,” he said.

He said that Lim’s female companion at the time of the incident is considered an accessory to the crime.

“Nasa crime scene po siya, kasama ng suspect na tumakas,” Doria said.

Safe

Meanwhile, nurse Ephraim Nuñal’s surgery yesterday was successful, announced Councilor David Tumulak, deputy mayor on peace and order.

"Surgery operation successful. He's now stable. Bullet nakuha," reads Tumulak’s message to The Freeman.

Nuñal was shot in his left thigh and right knee.

Investigation revealed that Nuñal was traversing F. Sotto Street with his friend on board a Toyota Altis when a dark Mercedes Benz with plate number UWI-731 stopped in the middle of the road.

Because the Mercedes disrupted the flow of traffic, Nuñal honked his horn. Lim, who was driving the Mercedes, went down his vehicle and kicked the side of Nuñal’s car. He also allegedly tried to punch Nuñal who was already out of his vehicle but the latter evaded the blow.

Irked, Lim went back to his car, took his gun out, and shot Nuñal in the legs.

He and his female companion, identified later as Tamae Takahashi, then fled the scene. A video that captured the incident showed Takahashi trying to calm Lim down.

In a post on his Facebook page, Osmeña appealed for Takahashi to cooperate with authorities.

“Ms. Takahashi, if you are reading this, please come in. I know you just took the bar. You have a whole future ahead of you as a lawyer. Do not throw away that future because you became an accessory to a capital crime. Do what's right. I will protect you if you just do what's right,” the post reads.

Land Transportation Office (LTO) - 7 Director Alita Pulga said the plate number of the Black Metallic Mercedes Benz, UWI731, is registered under the name of Global International (Subic) Phils. with address at 62A Innovative St. SBP Phase 1 Subic, Zambales. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo, Christell M. Tudtud, Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon and Mylen P. Manto (FREEMAN)