Road rage suspect cleared

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) cleared yesterday the man it earlier tagged as the gunman in the fatal shooting of Ateneo law graduate Jose Ramon Llamas, saying they are now hunting down a new suspect.

Cola Didato, the elusive registered owner of the motorcycle involved in the traffic incident that led to the shooting in Pasay City last Jan. 10, surrendered to the NBI headquarters yesterday.

Didato, 38, was accompanied to the NBI by his wife Norania, of Dasmariñas, Cavite Mayor Elpidio Barzaga and Pasay City Police chief Senior Superintendent Oscar Catalan.

"It good that you have surfaced. We were really looking for you," said NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco.

The NBI said last week Didato’s file photo "matched by almost 70 percent" a sketch based on witnesses’ descriptions of the gunman.

But, the bureau and witnesses now says Didato, is not their man.

"He closely resembled the shooter. But the shooter is taller and has a bigger body," said one witness.

With Didato now cleared, the NBI and the Pasay City police are now looking for Basher Abdulrahman, who at one time also owned Didato’s motorcycle.

According to NBI Metro Manila Office chief Edmund Arugay, a check with the Philippine National Police-Firearms and Explosives Division (PNP-FED) in Camp Crame revealed that Abdulrahman of 913 Arlegui Street has a registered 9mm Taurus pistol, purchased through a dealer identified as Shooters, Guns and Ammo. However, the FED added Abdulrahman did not have a Permit To Carry Firearms Outside Residence (PTCFOR).

"He (Abdulrahman) was also the last known user of the motorcycle," Arugay said.

A NBI witness identified Abdulrahman as Llamas’ shooter when agents showed him the suspect’s photograph that was secured from the FED. The NBI said the Kawasaki motorcycle (VM 2047) that was abandoned at the crimes scene, had changed ownership four times.

It was first sold by Didato to a certain Mubakar Batao. The bike was then sold by Batao to a certain Ismael Vidal, who later sold it to Abdulrahman.

"Among Muslims, the deed of sale or documents related to the ownership are not important. The transfer of property is governed by trust," said an NBI agent.

Didato explained that fear made him go into hiding after the shooting. When asked by NBI investigators, he denied knowing Abdulrahman.

Llamas, 26, was shot three times during an traffic altercation at the corner of Taft and Gil Puyat Avenues in Pasay City. His car accidentally bumped into a motorcycle, causing the driver to fall.

The NBI said Llamas provoked the suspect after he was threatened with a gun during their confrontation.

"He provoked the shooter. We have witnesses who heard him (Llamas) shouting at the shooter and daring him to draw his gun and shoot," said an NBI investigator.

One witness, a male vendor, claimed he saw Abdulrahman shoot Llamas.

The witness said Abdulrahman then hailed a the tricycle near the Manila Sanitarium Hospital.

He then decided to follow Abdulrahman aboard his scooter to the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Vito Cruz. He said Abdulrahman got off the tricycle and waited for a cab. It was at this point that the witness decided to end his pursuit.

"He was carrying a gun and I was afraid that he would shoot me next. I decided to follow him so I can identify him before the authorities," said the witness.

Didato, a native of Marawi City and resident of Block 21, Lot 3, Datu Ismael, Area H, Dasmariñas, Cavite, admitted that he went into hiding after news broke that both the NBI and the Pasay City Police were looking for him.

He said he failed to open his dry goods store at the Kadiwa Complex in Dasmarinas as he was at the University of the Philippines hospital and looked after Kaisar, a nephew who has just died.

Catalan said the Pasay City police and the NBI are now hunting down Abdulrahman, who also has a warrant for arrest in Palawan for beating up a man.

"We were right in our investigation all along. I am convinced that he (Abdulrahman) is the man we are looking for," Catalan said.