Soc denies returning favor to Joavan's "victim"

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez yesterday negated reports that the employment of Raymund Paran by the city hall was his reward for backing away from the case against his son, Joavan.

"Iya tong pagbuot nga moluwat og affidavit of desistance, wa siya hulgaa, wa siya hayloa," said Fernandez.

He said Paran was aimlessly walking around and chanced upon a vacancy at the city's Fishermen Sea and Ecological Care (Fiseca) office.

"While naglaroy-laroy ni siya nagkatagbo og oportunidad, mao ng nakasud siya sa atong Fiseca," the mayor said.

Paran started working for Fiseca, the city's bantay dagat, in May 2.

And like all other job-order workers under Fernandez's quota, Paran's contract is open, which means he can work for the city hall as long as the mayor pleases.

Paran, who is now using his middle name Caminade purportedly to avoid detection, is the same person who had accused Joavan of pointing a gun at him last December 15 in Vista Grande's clubhouse when he got delayed in giving him his order.

In his affidavit-complaint, Paran claimed that Joavan took the two liters of Coke from the store without paying, but before he did it he pointed his .45 caliber gun at him and fired it, but on the other direction.

The Talisay City police charged Joavan with robbery in relation to that.

Days after that in early March, Paran secretly left the clubhouse, where he was staying, reportedly out of fear the mayor's son would get back at him.

He however admitted in a letter he left to Ederlina Anderson, president of the homeowners' association, that Joavan handed him P4,000 after signing a "document" which was later on found out was an affidavit of desistance for the robbery case. - THE FREEMAN