The suspect in the fatal road rage shooting of a 65-year-old family driver went under online inquest proceedings on Friday, May 31, the Makati City Police said.
Gerrard Raymund Yu
According to the police, the suspect, identified as Gerrard Raymund Yu, faced the Makati City prosecutor, investigators, and the complainants inside a closed door conference room at the headquarters of the Makati City Police.
After the inquest proceedings, Yu appealed to the public to not judge him as he is a "good person."
"Mabuti po tayong tao, hindi po tayo masama. Nakikiusap lang po ako sa mga tao na 'wag naman po husgahan tayo (I am a good person, not a bad one. I am appealing to everyone to please do not judge me)," the suspect said as he was escorted out of the conference room.
On May 29, Yu was arrested by the police for shooting the victim, identified as Aniceto Mateo, in a road rage incident along the southbound lane of the Edsa Ayala tunnel in Makati City on May 28.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, Jr., Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. presented the suspect to the media.
"The seized firearms were brought to the PNP Forensics Group for ballistic examination while the suspect was subjected to a paraffin test. The suspect tested positive for gunpowder nitrate. One of the seized firearms matched the recovered fired cartridge case from the suspect’s firearm during ballistic examination,” said Abalos.
The suspect was also positively identified by witnesses to the shooting.
Marbil said the two firearms recovered from Yu are registered but he has no Permit to Carry Firearms Outside Residence (PTCFOR).
Yu is now facing charges for murder on top of other cases which include violating the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition and the Land Transportation and Traffic Code for the illegal use of a license plate.