Jed Andrew Salera, also known as Range999, being escorted out of the Mabolo Police Station on April 8, 2024. | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — After spending weeks in a detention cell at Mabolo Police Station, Jed Andrew Salera, popularly known as Range999, has been transferred to the Cebu City Jail.
This was after enforcers at the Mabolo Police Station received a commitment order from the court on Monday, April 8.
Salera is currently facing murder charges for gunning down an American national, namely Michael George Richey, inside a hotel compound in Cebu City last March.
He was escorted out of Mabolo Police Station past 9 a.m. on Monday.
Before he was transferred to the city jail in Brgy. Kalunasan, several of his family members, and even his girlfriend visited him. The singer-rapper also performed a song, titled Lodi, which he composed for his lover while he was detained in Mabolo.
The couple even shared a kiss before police officers took him out of the detention facility, and escorted him to the penitentiary in Brgy. Kalunasan.
Some of Salera’s immediate relatives even brought purple-colored shirts, with words of encouragement printed on the front and back.
“Taking the negative 666 and reversing it,” it read, which is also in reference to the rapper’s professional name.
Meanwhile, Salera shared his reflections and lessons he learned while staying in detention in the past weeks.
The rapper asked forgiveness from the families of Richey, the 37-year-old foreigner whom he shot outside a popular bar in uptown Cebu City last month.
“Ganahan ko mangayo og pasaylo kay tawo ra sad ko, syempre nga makasala. Mao ra na,” he told Cebu-based radio station XFM Cebu in an online interview.
(I would like to ask forgiveness because, of course, I am just human, and I can commit a mistake. That is just that.)
“Kahibaw ko lisud pero kanang lisud pero gikan sa kasing-kasing, pasayloa ko,” he added.
(I know that it is difficult but this comes from my heart, forgive me.)
He also urged his fans and supporters to always practice proper behavior and be law-abiding citizens.
“Lesson learned kay dapat magmatngoon sa atong mga lihok para di ta maabot sa punto nga masud tas prisohan. Ang prisohan lisud siya. Dili siya – paet gyud ang sulod sa prisohan,” said Salera.
(This is a lesson learned because we should be careful of our actions so that we would not have to reach the part where we are in prison. Prison is really difficult. It’s not — prison is really difficult.)
Investigators at the Mabolo Police Station lodged a murder cases against Salera last April 3.
Salera surrendered to the police a few hours after he shot Richey outside a popular bar that is located inside a hotel compound in Brgy. Lahug, Cebu City on March 17.
The foreigner was rushed to the hospital but three days later, he eventually succumbed to his gunshot wounds.