Police are in possession of a gray SUV believed to have been involved in the hit-and-run incident that killed Jeslar Uriel Larumbe. | CDN Digital photo / Emmariel Ares
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Police in Cebu City have taken custody of the SUV believed to be involved in the hit-and-run case that killed Jeslar Uriel Larumbe.
But its owner remains a free man as the police continue to determine if he was indeed involved in the hit-and-run case.
The vehicle owner, whose name is being withheld, is not even considered a person of interest yet, according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, Deputy Director for Operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
Cebu City police have not named any suspect in the hit-and-run case as they continue to gather more evidence against the person responsible for Larumbe’s death.
“As to the driver, we are still gathering more evidence gyud in order to establish gyud sa iyahang identity and then.. para makompleto gyud nato ang istorya, makompleto na ang ebidensya sa iyang involvement niining kasoha,” Rafter said.
Police here were able to locate the gray SUV, a Mazda CX-7, believed to be the same vehicle that was captured on a closed-circuit television (CCTV) near the Redemptorist Church in Cebu City where the alleged hit-and-run incident happened.
Rafter said they were able to locate the SUV based on the CCTV footage and the testimonies of witnesses at the crime scene.
The SUV was found parked along the road in Cabajar Street in Barangay Guadalupe on Tuesday afternoon, February 6. It had a blinker on its from portion and a dent on the front right fender and some scratches at the back when found.
No involvement in Larumbe’s death
In an interview with Alan Domingo of Balitang Bisdak, the owner denied any involvement in the Larumbe’s death.
He said that he stepped out of his residence in Barangay Guadalupe at around 7 a.m. and for a few minutes just to transfer his vehicle that was parked near the Guadalupe Police Station to its usual parking area.
The SUV’s owner said that he was already back home when the alleged hit-and-run happened early on Sunday morning.
He also clarified claims by Ramil Ayuman, the special assistant of Mayor Michael Rama, that the SUV was abandoned.
In addition, he said that the scratches found on his vehicle were from self-inflicted accidents that happened in the past.
He also admitted to using a blinker before to advertise his business of selling similar items, but he removed them after he was apprehended by the police for the unauthorized use of a VIP blinker.
To prove his innocence, the vehicle owner said that he was prepared to give his full cooperation to the ongoing police investigation on the Larumbe hit-and-run case.
In fact, he agreed to turnover his vehicle to the custody of the Guadalupe Police Station as part of their ongoing investigation of the Larumbe case. Also, he claimed to be the one who drove his SUV to the Guadalupe Police Station on Tuesday, accompanied by police officers.
Moreover, the SUV’s owner is urging the real culprit of the hit-and-run to already surrender and take responsibility for Larumbe’s death.
“Kung mahitabo man gani na, injustice gyud kaayo sa akong part. Injustice pud sa part sa katong deceased, which is si Uriel. Kay sa akong part, napasanginlan ra ko kay tungod lang siguro pareha og color ako sakyanan sa katong… nakadasmag niya,” he said.
Pursuing a lead
Rafter said that they are currently pursuing a lead in the Larumbe case.
She said that appropriate charges will be filed after they find substantial evidence against the person responsible for the death of the local cager.
With this, Rafter is urging the public to give them more time to gather evidence.
“While we are trying our best to file the case as soon as possible but we cannot also compromise sa atong ebidensya lang just to comply just to comply with the whims sa uban nga dapat mafile na gyud ni ang kaso,” said Rafter.
At the same time, Rafter is urging those with information on the Larumbe case to come forward and help in their ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, Police Lieutenant Colonel Roel Villarin, assistant regional chief of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) 7, has clarified insinuations that the owner of the SUV now in police custody was a graduate of the Motorcycle Riding Course (MCRC) because of the presence of a sticker that is similar to the MCRC’s logo at the back of the vehicle.
Villarin said that the MCRC tiger logo was not the same as the one found on the SUV’s sticker. | with Mark Bandolon, CTU Intern
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