Vehicle used by son during arrest: Soc poorest city mayor, but Pajero not in record

CEBU - The adopted son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez was driving a brand new Mitsubishi Pajero worth more than a million pesos allegedly owned by his father when the National Bureau of Investigation operatives arrested him last month, but the vehicle was not among the properties declared by Fernandez in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.

The mayor has declared a net worth of just more than P900,000.

In his SALN submitted to the anti-graft office in April 30, Fernandez declared total assets of P915,490 including two parcels of land located in Barangay Bulacao, a house, an Isuzu Bighorn and a motorcycle.

The reason why the Pajero is not in the list of assets submitted by Fernandez could be that it was acquired after the submission of the SALN.

He declared P70,000 cash on hand and in the bank and P5,000 worth of other properties. Fernandez did not declare any business interest and any relative working in government.

Based on Fernandez’ SALN subscribed before Associate Prosecuting Attorney Hyacinth Jadraque, he declared an annual gross salary of P571,119 as his only source of income having no business interest and a total net worth of P990,450.

But contrary to his SALN his adopted son, Joavan, earlier claimed that the Mitsubishi Pajero he was driving during the time of his arrest was owned by his father.

The younger Fernandez was arrested on charges of two counts of serious illegal detention and is now still incarcerated at the Talisay City Jail.

The sports utility vehicle that Joavan was driving reportedly costs between P1.8 to P2 million. Toledo City’s Arlene Zambo is the richest among the mayors while the richest vice mayor is Danao City’s Ramon Durano Jr.

Zambo declared a total of P P14.7 million net worth. She is followed by Mario Patricio Barcenas of Carcar City with P12 M; Ramon Durano III of Danao City, P 9.7 million; Jonas Cortes of Mandaue City, P 8.3 million; and Valdemar Chiong of Naga City, P2.2 M.

Ramon ‘Boy’ Durano Jr. has a net worth of P30.9 million; Toledo City’s Aurelio Espinosa follows with P12.4 million; Lani Abarquez of Talisay City with P7 million; Delfin Señor of Naga City, P3.4 million and Carlo Fortuna of Mandaue City is the poorest with P600,000. — Fred P. Languido/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)