Joavan's driver's license confiscated

CEBU, Philippines - A week after he was released after being detained for direct assault, Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez’s adopted son, Joavan Fernandez, had his driver’s license confiscated after he figured in another incident yesterday.

Police, who received a report of an armed person, intercepted along B. Rodriguez St., Barangay Sambag 2, past 2 p.m. yesterday the vehicle allegedly boarded by the armed man, a red Isuzu Bighorn with a license plate reading “Mayor” in the front.

The vehicle, which bore the rear license plate numbers YEZ-460, was driven by Joavan.

In a report recorded at the Mobile Patrol Group, the vehicle was intercepted by PO3 Cyril Valencia of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch.

Details before the interception were not recorded but in a radio report, the Bighorn was intercepted after Joavan reportedly tried to run away from police near the Whitegold House.

Inspector Rex Campos of the MPG said he received a report regarding an armed person and passed on the information to the MPG. The police found the vehicle and a brief chase occurred.

After he was intercepted, the MPG, IDMB, together with the Special Weapon and Tactics team, searched the vehicle but Chief Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes, chief of the nearby Fuente Police Station, said they did not find a gun or any contraband inside.

However, the police said Joavan had committed a traffic violation and personnel of the Traffic Patrol Group escorted him to the City Traffic Operations Management.

SPO1 Dionisio Galo, traffic investigator, said they issued a Temporary Operator’s Permit against Joavan for failure to carry current year registration and for using an improvised plate.

In a record at the Land Transportation-7, the Bighorn, which is registered under Mayor Fernandez’s name, was only register until 2009.

Galo confiscated Joavan’s driver’s license, saying Joavan can get his license back after he pays the fine at the LTO-7 within three days.

Joavan and the Bighorn was released around 30 minutes later after he was able to present the current registration. The expiration date would be on September this year.

Galo, as to LTO-7 record on the vehicle’s latest registration, said it is already the agency’s call to impound the vehicle.

Macario Getaruelas, chief of the Operations Division of LTO-7, said they require the mayor to present to their office an authority to use special plates, otherwise, they will file an administrative complaint against him regarding the matter.

As to the report that Joavan was armed with a gun, Bastes said they cannot place him under investigation because they did not recover any weapon from him.

Joavan said he will file a case against the SWAT team after one of them allegedly punched him in the side while they frisked him. He also denied he was armed. He said he passed by Whitegold House to drop off a friend who rode in his car.

He also questioned why the police searched his vehicle when they did not have a search warrant.

Joavan, who has had several brushes with the law, was arrested by the IDMB last May 12 outside the Palace of Justice for direct assault after he hit an IDMB vehicle during a chase in Barangay Mabolo last February.  (FREEMAN)