Range 999, a Cebuano rapper, was arrested for shooting a foreigner
CEBU CITY – Local rapper/singer Jed Andrew Salera, also known as Range 999, was apprehended by the Mabolo Police Station following an altercation with an American national, Michael George Richey, outside a hotel bar on Sunday, March 17, 2024. The incident, captured on CCTV, showed Salera using a weapon against Richey, resulting in his arrest on charges of frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms.
Salera justified his actions by claiming that Richey had disrespected his female friends at the bar, prompting him to intervene. He alleged that Richey had behaved obscenely towards the women and refused to heed warnings to stop.
Salera maintained that he acted in defense of his friends, asserting, “Hindi kami gagawa ng kasalanan sa isang tao kung wala siyang ginawang masama. Gusto ko lang malaman ng lahat na hindi ‘to mangyayari kung wala siyang ginawa sa mga kasama namin,” he said in his dialect. Despite questions from the media, Salera declined to provide further details about where the gun came from.
Following the identification of Salera through CCTV footage, a hot pursuit operation led by Major Romeo Caacoy Jr. led to his arrest at his manager’s residence in Barangay Quiot. According to GMA News, Salera was subsequently placed in police custody pending further legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, frustrated murder is a serious offense punishable under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code. The penalty for frustrated murder ranges from reclusion temporal (imprisonment for 12 years and 1 day to 20 years) to reclusion perpetua (imprisonment for 20 years and 1 day to 40 years).
On the other hand, illegal possession of firearms is penalized under Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. The penalty for illegal possession of firearms varies depending on the circumstances, such as the type of firearm and the offender’s intent. Generally, the penalty ranges from prision correccional (imprisonment for 6 months and 1 day to 6 years) to prision mayor (imprisonment for 6 years and 1 day to 12 years), depending on the specific provisions violated.
