Joavan pleads not guilty to robbery

CEBU, Philippines -Joavan Fernandez, the controversial son of Mayor Socrates Fernandez of Talisay City, yesterday pleaded not guilty to the crime robbery for allegedly taking two bottles of softdrinks without paying for them at Vista Grande Subdivision.

Assisted by lawyer George Bragat, Joavan entered a not guilty plea for the crime charged against him at the sala of Judge Gilbert Moises of Regional Trial Court Branch 18.

Meanwhile, the motion to dismiss the case against the younger Fernandez was also heard yesterday.

Raymund Paran, 19, a sales attendant, alleged that on December 15, 2010, Joavan took two bottles of softdrinks and drove away in his car without paying for them.

Paran earlier said that after the filing of the case, someone approached him but he can’t remember and knew this person.

“I could not describe him specifically,” Paran said, adding the person brought along a document, which he said, he signed.

But during his inquiry yesterday, he admitted and confirmed that he signed the affidavit of desistance, which stated that he was “no longer interested to pursue the criminal complaint” after patching up their “misunderstanding.”

Joavan has asked the court to dismiss the case claiming he and Paran had already peacefully settled their differences, which he claimed “just only a mere communication gap.”

But, Moises wanted that the person who made Paran sign the affidavit Paran be presented in court for verification.

According to Paran,Joavan drove to the cooperative store in Vista Grande Subdivision in Talisay City last December 15 and ordered two bottles of “Coke Litro” then left without paying.

On March 5, 2011, Erlinda Anderson, president of Vista Grande Homeowners Association, went to the police station to report Paran’s disappearance for concern that the latter is no longer interested in pursuing the case.

But Paran said during his disappearance, he only stayed in Barangay Sinsin, Cebu City where he lives. —(FREEMAN)