Joavan accused of abducting 2 vulcanizing shop workers
Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez’ adopted son, Joavan, is once again in the hot seat, this time for allegedly abducting and beating two vulcanizing shop workers whom he blamed for the loss of a tire of his father’s government-issued vehicle.
Winston Abellana, 23, of
They alleged that Joavan and five of his friends, who include three minors, took turns in hitting them. Police identified the other suspects as Benedict Gabasa, 26, of barangay Bulacao and Mark Perez, 24, of Tabunok.
Winston recounted before the city police that Joavan came to the shop and forcibly ushered him inside a red Isuzu Bighorn. He came back later, this time with a sky blue multicab to take Osbert.
According to Osbert, Joavan was supposed to also take his father, another worker of the vulcanizing shop, but his father was able to run away. It was Osbert’s father, Oscar, who sought police assistance.
Mayor Fernandez, in a telephone interview, confirmed that he sent his damaged spare tire for repair at the Bebot Vulcanizing last August 5. But when he checked on it the following day, he was told that it was already stolen among a number of other valuable items of the said shop.
He said that when Joavan knew of the incident, he confronted the owner Mercedita Abellana, who reportedly promised to pay P5,000 for the lost tire.
Fernandez said that Joavan came back to the shop at least three times to collect the payment, but Abellana had only reportedly kept on promising to pay for the item.
The suspects are now detained at the city police substation, while Joavan remains at large.
One of the arresting officers, PO3 Edwin Alvarado, admitted that Joavan was there when they came to arrest the suspects.
But the suspects reportedly went inside the house; hence they were not able to apprehend him fearing that their move might later on affect the case.
Both victims, who suffered bruises and cuts all over their faces, alleged that Joavan was armed during the incident.
Winston said he was forced into admitting that he stole the missing tire so that Joavan and his cohorts would stop hitting him.
He added that Joavan’s guns are “not made of plastic”, proof of which are the injuries on his face and other parts of his body where Joavan allegedly hit him with the weapon.
Meanwhile, Osbert sustained physical injuries; one of which is on his forehead after he slumped on the ground, his forehead hitting a stone, following alleged repeated manhandling by the suspects.
For his part, chief of police Romeo Perigo said he would investigate if indeed Joavan was still at the crime scene when his men responded.
Perigo said like what happened when Joavan was accused of murder and frustrated murder in August 2006, there will be “no special treatment” accorded to him especially that he was being positively identified by the victims.
Joavan was sent to jail for murder, but he was immediately released when he was able to post a P200,000 bail shortly after.
“We are still looking for him. And even if we can’t find him today, we will still file the case later today,” Perigo said, referring to Joavan.
Perigo said the three will face “abduction with physical injuries” and “possibly with grave threats.”
As for the 15-year-old suspects, Perigo said he has already asked the City Social Welfare and Development Office to make an assessment on the participation of the minors in the case, and see from there if they should be charged too.
The cases that the police have prepared against the suspects are bailable.
Meanwhile, Mercedita Abellana admitted that the mayor had entrusted to her shop his spare tire, but that it was stolen along with the proceeds of the shop last August 5.
She alleged that Joavan started coming to her shop to demand of the payment, even going to the point of taking her TV set and the DVD player as “guarantee” that she would pay for the lost item.
As for Mayor Fernandez, he said Joavan is only a “victim of circumstances.” — Liv G. Campo and Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV
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