CEBU, Philippines - Amid speculations that it was not Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez who figured in an accident with a motorcyclist last Monday, Talisay City Police Station chief Henry Biñas yesterday assured that he will have the incident investigated to erase all doubts.
Shortly after the accident, text messages quickly circulated that it was not the mayor’s government-issued Toyota Revo (SFR451) that was allegedly hit by a motorcycle driven by Colin Labrado, 36, while the mayor was making a U-turn at the intersection of the Cebu South Coastal Road in barangay San Isidro on his way home in barangay Bulacao, but the green Mitsubishi Pajero of his controversial son Joavan.
This speculation was also fueled by the fact that Joavan was also at the Talisay District Hospital where Labrado was taken.
There were also reports that it was not the mayor that drove the white Revo that was involved in the accident, but Joavan, who allegedly jumped out of the passenger’s seat shortly after the collision.
His father, whom Joavan had reportedly informed, quickly came to rescue his son, and owned up the accident, so as not to add another controversy to his adopted son’s name.
Biñas however said that initial investigation conducted by the city’s traffic division so far revealed that it was actually Fernandez who drove the city-issued vehicle, while his son was trailing him, hence, he was also there at the hospital, where Labrado was taken by a trisikad driver commissioned by the mayor.
For his part, Fernandez, in an interview with dyAB, refuted the allegation, saying Joavan was there at the scene because he followed him from the city hall.
He said his son paid him a visit that day and that they left the building together, he driving the white Revo, while Joavan was in his private car.
The mayor explained that when his service car was hit by Labrado, Joavan even helped him bring the victim to the nearby hospital. ( FREEMAN NEWS)