Suspek sa pagpatay sa isang siklista, binigyan ng MPD ng hanggang 5 p.m. para... | Balita Pilipinas

Summary

An army reservist, Von Tanto, is the prime suspect in the murder of cyclist Mark Vincent Geralde in Quiapo, Manila. Police have issued an ultimatum for his surrender, following a witness identification. Meanwhile, a mix-up in the vehicle identification caused Nestor Punzalan's name to be wrongly linked to the crime, leading to social media confusion and threats against him. Punzalan's lawyer confirmed his innocence, and the editor of Top Gear Philippines, where the post originated, issued a public apology for the mistake. The investigation continues as authorities search for the suspect.

Takeaways

• 😀 A Manila police district issued an ultimatum for Army reservist Von Tanto to surrender by 5 PM after being implicated in the shooting death of cyclist Mark Vincent Geralde in Quiapo, Manila.
• 😀 Tanto is a 33-year-old Army reservist who was positively identified by a witness to the shooting incident that occurred on Pical Street, Quiapo, Manila, on Monday.
• 😀 The suspect, Von Tanto, is originally from Cotabato and resides in the Barangay where the crime took place. Local authorities are familiar with him.
• 😀 Authorities had previously received complaints about Tanto illegally parking his vehicle on the street, and despite repeated warnings, he failed to comply with requests to move it.
• 😀 Following the crime, police attempted to visit Tanto’s residence but found that he had already fled, and his vehicle was missing.
• 😀 Tanto's vehicle's conduction plate number became a key piece of evidence. Initially, the plate number was incorrectly reported as MO 3746, but the witness later corrected it to M37 45.
• 😀 A man named Nestor Punzalan became a subject of online rumors after his vehicle’s conduction plate number (M37 45) was mistakenly linked to the suspect's vehicle in the shooting incident.
• 😀 Punzalan’s lawyer clarified that Punzalan had no involvement in the crime, and a medico-legal certificate confirmed that he had no physical injuries from any altercation.
• 😀 Punzalan expressed his fear and frustration over his name being wrongfully implicated in the crime, revealing how online rumors were causing harm to his reputation.
• 😀 The editor-in-chief of Top Gear Philippines, where the erroneous vehicle details were initially posted, took responsibility for the mistake, apologized to Punzalan, and promised to personally reach out to him to offer further apologies.

Q & A

Who is Von Tanto and what is he accused of?

Von Tanto is a 33-year-old army reservist accused of shooting and killing a cyclist named Mark Vincent Geralde in Quiapo, Manila. He is identified as the primary suspect in the crime.

What led to Von Tanto's identification as the suspect?

Tanto was identified by a witness who positively recognized him as the shooter in the incident. The witness' testimony played a significant role in linking him to the crime.

Where did the shooting incident take place?

The shooting incident took place in Pical Street, Quiapo, Manila.

What were the issues involving Von Tanto's vehicle?

Von Tanto had been illegally parking his vehicle in the area and had ignored repeated requests from local authorities to move it. Authorities later found that Tanto was no longer at his residence when they visited, and his vehicle was not found at the location either.

What role did Nestor Punzalan play in the confusion surrounding the crime?

Nestor Punzalan was mistakenly linked to the crime due to a social media post that associated his vehicle's license plate number with the suspect's car. This led to confusion and incorrect accusations against him.

How did the confusion about the vehicle's plate number arise?

Initially, the witness reported a vehicle with a certain plate number. However, the witness later corrected their statement, changing the plate number. This error contributed to the misidentification of Nestor Punzalan.

How did Nestor Punzalan react to being wrongfully implicated?

Nestor Punzalan expressed fear for his safety and felt distressed as his name was publicly dragged into the case. He maintained his innocence and stated that he was not involved in any confrontation related to the crime.

What was revealed about Nestor Punzalan's involvement in the incident?

Nestor Punzalan had no involvement in the crime. Medical records confirmed that he had no physical injuries, and his lawyer stated that there was no evidence linking him to the crime or any physical confrontation.

How did the media handle the mistake involving Punzalan's name?

The Editor-in-Chief of *Top Gear Philippines* took responsibility for the mistake, acknowledging that the post linking Punzalan's vehicle to the crime should not have been made. The EIC publicly apologized and promised to make amends.

What steps were taken to address the public misinformation about Punzalan?

The Editor-in-Chief of *Top Gear Philippines* apologized to Nestor Punzalan and his family for the error and the public distress caused. He also stated he would personally apologize to Punzalan and ensure such mistakes would not happen again in the future.