Antipolo road rage shooter may face frustrated homicide, gun laws raps —police

Complaints for frustrated homicide and violation of gun laws may be filed against the suspect in the road altercation that led to a shooting incident and wounding of four people in Antipolo City, the police said on Monday. 

“Pini-prepare natin 'yung mga kasong frustrated homicide and violation din po ng Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act at itong violation ng Omnibus Election Code dahil ongoing po ang ating election ban,” Rizal Police Provincial Office director Police Colonel Felipe Maraggun told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita in an interview. 

(We are preparing the cases of frustrated homicide, violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and violation of the Omnibus Election Code because our election gun ban is ongoing.) 

According to the Maraggun, the police are still verifying with the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) the claim of the suspect that he has a gun permit. 

Maraggun earlier said that the suspect did not have a Certificate of Authority from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to carry a firearm, given the ongoing nationwide election gun ban.

Asked about the claim of the suspect that he used his gun because one of the riders was about to pull out a firearm, Maraggun said no such incident was captured on CCTV footage and phone videos. 

Meanwhile, Maraggun said three of the wounded victims have been discharged from the hospital. The remaining victim in hospital is undergoing surgery. 

“Na-discharge na po 'yung dalawang biktima. 'Yung Victim No. 1 ongoing pa 'yung surgery. And 'yung partner nitong ating suspect ay na-discharge na rin,” he said.

(The two victims have been discharged. The surgery of Victim No. 1 is still ongoing. And the partner of our suspect has also been discharged.) 

The Antipolo Police said the incident occurred around 5 p.m. along the Barangay San Jose section of Marcos Highway.

Police said the suspect, "Kenneth", a 28-year-old businessman, attempted to flee in his black Toyota Fortuner but was intercepted during a hot pursuit operation. He was apprehended at a checkpoint in Barangay Mayamot.

According to the suspect, he was driving fast because he was trying to catch up with their convoy. He denied that he was driving close to the motorcycle riders. According to him, it was the riders who were getting close to his vehicle.

"Pagkahinto po sa akin, pinagmumura kaagad nila ako (When I pulled over, they immediately cursed at me)," the suspect said in a report of GMA Integrated News’ EJ Gomez on Unang Balita.

He said he got out of his vehicle and the brawl with the riders started.

However, based on a video of one of the riders, the suspect's vehicle is seen suddenly appearing from the right side of the road and almost hit one of the motorcycles, according to the Unang Balita report.

According to the son of one of the wounded riders, the suspect was driving so recklessly that one of their motorcycles almost fell over. Due to this, the rider chased after the suspect. According to him, the suspect hit the rider first.

The suspect said that the riders ganged up on him and claimed one of the riders was about to pull out a gun during the altercation.

"Yung matanda po huminto sa akin bubunutan po ako ng baril. Bilang gun owner din ako mati-trigger po ako sa ganun. Saka ko po kinuha yung baril sa sasakyan. Tapos bigla pong sumugod pa sa akin yung matanda doon ko na po siya natamaan," the suspect said.

(The old man who stopped me was about to pull out a gun. As a gun owner, I would be triggered by that. Then I took my gun from the car. Then the old man suddenly rushed at me and I shot him right there.)

Th suspect's claim was denied by the rider's son. —AOL/RF, GMA Integrated News