Joavan arrested again with gun, "drugs"

CEBU, Philippines - The controversial adopted son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez is in trouble again.

Joavan Fernadez, who is out on bail, along with four companions was arrested yesterday afternoon by personnel of the Highway Patrol Group-7.

Fernandez, who was driving an Isuzu Bighorn, was spotted by HPG-7 personnel going against the flow of traffic while headed towards Lapu-Lapu City.

He also used a siren, which is not allowed for non-emergency vehicles.

The HPG-7 personnel, who were on patrol spotted the violations and tried to stop the vehicle, but Fernandez did not heed.

The policemen followed the vehicle and had another chance to flag it down at the entrance of the airport and this time, Fernandez stopped the vehicle and got down.

He reportedly introduced himself as the son of the Talisay mayor and was allegedly on his way to the airport to fetch his father.

The policemen arrested him for his traffic violations and for driving a vehicle, whose plate number could not be seen as it was covered with tinted glass.

The arresting officers also saw that there was an empty holster on the left side of Joavan’s waist prompting them to do a check of the vehicle.

Found inside the vehicle was a .38 caliber revolver and two granules of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu. The police also recovered five empty packs, which they believe had contained shabu and gadgets used for sniffing the illegal drug.

The gun was found under the driver’s seat while the alleged illegal drugs and sniffing gadgets were inside a brief case.

The arresting officers were PO1s Cerge Maceren, Rainier Dosal and Virgilio Suico.

They policemen said that Joavan could not present a license for the gun.

Arrested with Joavan were Wilfredo Abellana Vega, 46, of Cansojong, Talisay City; Quazar Bacaltos Quiachon, 33, of Miami Homes, Talisay City; Mark Ryan Alcover, 28, of Talisay City; and Alinor Mamao Andingan, 28, of Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City.

The five were brought to the HPG-7 headquarters inside Camp Sotero Cabahug along Gorordo Ave., Cebu City.

Maceren said that Joavan told them that his father owns the vehicle and uses it sometimes for business purposes.

George Bragat, lawyer of Joavan, went to HPG-7 yesterday an hour after his client was arrested to get information.

Bragat told reporters that he will be back today and consequently decide what to do with the matter.

Insp. Emeterio Payoyo, one of the investigators, said Joavan and his companions will be charged for illegal possession of drugs and paraphernalia and illegal possession of firearms.

They will also be charged of illegally using the siren, as indicated at Presidential Decree 96 that no one, except for designated persons, can use the siren or other forms of blinkers in public.

Other than that, they will also be charged for the unreadable plate numbers.

The police officials also said that the five suspects arrested are subjects for a drug test.

Joavan woes are only compounded as he is still facing charges for two counts of serious illegal detention for allegedly mauling and detaining cousins Oscar and Osbert Abellana last year.

He is also facing robbery and possession of illegal drug paraphernalia charges after his arrest last October.

He is now out on bail.

Joavan was also arrested before on allegations that he killed a jeepney driver on August 2006.

There have been many other reported brushes with the law involving Joavan. –with Liv Campo/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)