Rapper Range999 ‘regrets’ shooting foreigner – manager

Jed Andrew Salera, popularly known as Range999, surrendered to the police shortly after he shot an American national outside a bar in Cebu City on Sunday morning. | Contributed photo

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – “Pre! Pre! Pre! Tabangi ko.  Sorry pre. Pre, nakapatay kog taw. I-hatud ko sa [police] station. Pre, mo surrender ko.”

This is what Jed Andrew Salera, popularly known as Range999, told his manager shortly after he shot an American  national outside a bar in Cebu City on Sunday morning.

Salera’s victim, Michael George Richey, died on Tuesday afternoon, according to Police Major Romeo Caacoy Jr, the chief of the Mabolo Police Station.

READ: Hotel shooting: Foreigner dies; murder charge to be filed vs Range999

Caacoy told CDN Digital Tuesday night that they will now file murder charge against Salera.

Nervous breakdown

Paul Vincent Paras, Salera’s manager, said that the rapper regretted what he did.

He said that Salera went to his residence in Sunshine Village in Barangay Quiot Pardo, Cebu City, after he shot Richey on Sunday morning to ask for his help.

READ: Rapper arrested, foreigner wounded in Cebu City hotel shooting

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Paras said that Salera was crying and had a nervous breakdown because he was uncertain on what to do next.

Paras said he was proud of Salera’s courage to protect the ‘vulnerable women’ who were with him.

“Lalaki nga dako’g respeto sa usa ka babae, di siya mo biya ug amigo/amiga ni take siyag risk para sa iyang amigo/amiga. Pasalamat gihapon ko nga naa gyud siya ana nga batasan,” Paras said.

Paras’ FB post was made before news came out on Richey’s death.

‘Bastos’

Range999 told Paras that Richey was disrespectful to his female friends and even touched their butts.

“Suko na kaayo ang mga babae pre, mao to ako gisugo ako kauban na laki nga ipa badlong sa bouncer pa ulion na kay hubog na nya bastos. Gipagawas siya sa bouncer pre pero wla nila paulia pag gawas namo pre pwerti niyang isoga, sige pang hagad og sukmagay wla ra nako siya pansina pre kay naa mn mga bouncer,” Salera told Paras during their conversation.

READ: Rapper Range999 admits to shooting foreigner for being ‘bastos’ to female friends

After the commotion, Paras said that Salera went out of the bar to get his vehicle.  He later on returned to the bar to pick up his companions.

Based on surveillance footage that was secured by Mabolo police, a blue-colored sports utility vehicle (SUV) entered the hotel’s compound at around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The vehicle slowed down in front of the bar where Richey was. The foreign national can be seen approaching the driver’s side of the SUV where Salera was.

Salera then opened the vehicle’s door, and shortly thereafter, Richey fell on the pavement.

Range999 immediately left and went to Paras’ residence to seek help.

‘Mo surrender ko’

Paras said that Range999 told him everything that happened at the bar.

“Nastoryahan ko niya sa mga nahinomduman niya sa panghitabo grabi iyang hilak samtang ga storya. Mao to gitawagan nako ako kaila na si Sir Yogi Ruiz, since former PDEA Director man siya, naa gyud na siyay kaila nga mga pulis, nag patabang ko kay para sa pag surrender ni Range, salamat sa pagtudlo sa sakto nga buhaton og pag sa pag advise nga mo surrender og pag atubangon ang iyang ge sudlan nga problema Sir Yogi Ruiz ug sa Mabolo Police Station sa pag pick-up ni Range,” he added.

In a statement, Ruiz confirmed that Range999’s manager called him on Sunday morning to ask for advise.

“I immediately advised them to not make any additional actions that would aggravate the situation and to surrender to the PNP because if magsige pa siya tago it will worsen his situation. Surrender and answer for his actions is what any law-abiding man would advise if they were in the same situation,” Ruiz said.