Thursday, October 05, 2006 Mayor Soc finally turns in his son
JOAVAN Fernandez, adopted son of Mayor Socrates Fernandez, finally surrendered yesterday to authorities after failing twice to show up to face the murder case filed against him in court.
Clad in white polo, faded khaki cargo slacks and rubber shoes, the 23-year-old murder suspect entered the Palace of Justice in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City past 2 p.m. with the mayor and six Talisay City policemen as escorts.
Obviously to show that he was not a special prisoner, Joavan was handcuffed when lawmen escorted him to Cebu City from his house in Mansueto Village in Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City aboard a Terrano police vehicle.
“I thanked the mayor for his efforts to surrender his son to us. He really made good his promise. We noted in the warrant that the suspect surrendered,” said Supt. Romeo Perigo, Talisay City Police Station (TCPS) chief.
Perigo got a copy of the arrest warrant shortly before 12 noon.
Fernandez promised in a radio dyAB interview that he would turnover his adopted son to the TCPS anytime yesterday morning.
Joavan was a no-show at City Hall last Monday where Fernandez called for a press conference. He also did not appear last Tuesday afternoon to turn himself in to lawyer George Bragat, his legal counsel.
Perigo ordered his men to secure a copy of the arrest warrant following a report that Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 12 Judge Estela Alma Singco already issued and mailed it last Monday yet.
A police team bringing the warrant arrived at the TCPS shortly before 12 noon.
Upon learning of it, Fernandez had to cut short his 12 noon radio program and rushed to his House of Prayer in Barangay Candulawan to fetch Joavan.
Responding to the mayor’s call, a Perigo-led police team then met the father and son at Joavan’s house in Mansueto Village in Barangay Bulacao.
A convoy of five vehicles, including the police vehicle and Fernandez’s Toyota Revo, proceeded to the Palace of Justice passing through the South Reclamation Project.
At the Palace of Justice, Fernandez was seen stroking his son’s hair while waiting for the order.
Singco scheduled Joavan’s arraignment on Oct. 19, a Thursday.
Talisay City Prosecutor Marshall Rubia is only available every Thursday but there was not enough time to schedule it for today. Singco would be attending a conference next Thursday.
Joavan was committed to the Talisay City Jail in the mountain barangay of Maghaway at 3:20 p.m.
When Fernandez was asked if he was going to invoke his position as mayor to ensure the security of his son inside the jail, he said no.
Instead, he said: “I would invoke the help of the Holy Spirit that I will be guided and my son would be consoled.”
Fernandez said he has no idea about the arrangement inside the facility yet as he did not have the chance to survey the area. He will leave it up to the authorities.
He said he would pray for his son’s safety inside the jail adding that he encouraged his son’s “voluntary surrender.” “I told him that it is for his own good that he submit himself and I know that it will help him in the case if he surrender before the warrant of arrest will be served,” said Fernandez.
Perigo vowed to serve the warrant without fear or favor and employ a reasonable force against Joavan had the he not yielded himself to the police.
Joavan is accused of murder and two separate frustrated murder cases after he was linked to the twin shooting incidents in Barangays Cansojong and Dumlog last Aug. 29.
The bloody incidents killed PUJ driver Panfilo Barinque, 49, and wounded Timoteo Aleo, Barinque’s conductor; Edmund Ong and Carlos dela Calzada.
Aleo and Ong identified Joavan as the gunman.
But the two and dela Calzada issued affidavits of desistance, which Fernandez showed to the media during a press conference at the Talisay City Hall last Monday.
Fernandez yesterday reiterated that he did not have a hand in the signing of affidavits of desistance.
“I have no contact with the victims and I have no influence over them. They have also the right to be respected as a human (being),” he said.
Also present during yesterday’s presentation of Joavan was City Attorney Aurora Econg, raising questions on her involvement in the case.
Fernandez defended her. “I believe that as a legal officer, she must also know the work or somewhat the mayor’s whereabouts regarding the legal aspect.”
He said Econg has no involvement in the case since Joavan has lawyers George Bragat and Celso Espinoza. (GC/JGA)
