David Lim Jr. (CDN FILE PHOTO)
A Cebu City judge has granted the request of Cebu road rage shooting suspect David Lim Jr. to travel abroad for a weeklong cruise with his family in the United States and Canada.
In an order dated May 10, 2016, Judge Alexander Acosta of the Regional Trial Court Branch 9 granted the suspect’s plea to travel as long as he would return to face the charges against him.
“The crime charged against herein accused is not among those that affects the interest of the national security, or public health, wherein the right to travel could be impaired as provided under section 6, article 2 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines,” Acosta said.
The judge said Lim can travel abroad only from May 18 to June 8, 2017.
Before leaving the country, Lim was mandated to post a bond of P300,000 in court and to submit a certified true copy of his valid passport.
Within three days after he returns to the country, he was also ordered to personally report to the court.
Acosta set Lim’s arraignment on June 16.
Lim’s lawyers Gilbert Viloria and Conrado Sarmiento Jr. earlier asked the court’s permission to allow Lim to join his family for a trip abroad.
His lawyers said, the cruise tour from Alaska, USA to Vancouver in Canada from May 29 to June 2, 2017 was already booked by Lim’s family a year ago; while their airline tickets were purchased last December 2016.
Lim and his family are set to return to the country on June 8.
The request was opposed by lawyer Mundlyn Misal-Martin, counsel of shooting victim Ephraim Nuñal, who earlier filed a motion for the issuance of a Hold Departure Order (HDO) against Lim.
An HDO, she said, would ensure that the accused will not leave the country to evade criminal prosecution and to guarantee that he is properly brought before the bar of justice.
Martin said Lim has not yet been arraigned, and if the latter leaves the country, he might be placed beyond the reach of the courts.
Lim earlier appeared before Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, two days after he shot and wounded Nuñal following an altercation along F. Sotto Street in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City last March 19.
He was charged with frustrated homicide and illegal possession of ammunition.
Lim secured temporary liberty after posting bail in court.