Sunday, October 05, 2008 Joavan 'attacks' councilor's son By Mia E. Abellana Sun.Star Staff Reporter
AFTER gaining an advantage in his serious illegal detention and robbery charges, the son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez may yet face another case.
This was after a known friend of Joavan Fernandez went to the Talisay City Police Station yesterday and reported he was beaten up and threatened Friday afternoon at the Talisay City Hall motorpool.
Kashmir dela Cuesta, who was with Joavan when a man hacked the latter in Barangay Tanke last month, claimed Joavan threw a bullet at his right eyebrow, punched and kicked him and then tried to run him over.
Dela Cuesta is the son of Dumlog Barangay Councilor Protacio dela Cuesta, an ally of Mayor Fernandez.
Dela Cuesta, 41, said he was surprised that Joavan was mad at him, but heard reports that Joavan suspected he was eyeing a woman that Joavan supposedly is in a relationship with.
The woman, identified as Ivy Ouano, is the same woman who was first reported to have been abducted by Joavan. She later claimed she went along with him in a pump boat ride.
Dela Cuesta said he went to the motorpool to collect his last payment because his contract ended last Sept. 30. Ouano also works at the motorpool.
He denied he was interested in her, saying he already knew Joavan was seeing her and that there were some people who were making up rumors about it.
The record book at the motorpool stated that Joavan arrived at 3:39 p.m., as recorded by security guard Jerry Diaz.
At the motorpool, Joavan allegedly flicked a bullet of a .45 pistol at his right brow, causing it to swell, and told him it was just a “sample” of what he would do to him.
“Regalo ni nako nimo,” he quoted Joavan as saying.
While dela Cuesta did not see it was a bullet, the security guards told him that it was a bullet of a .45 pistol. He denied seeing Joavan carrying a firearm.
He also alleged that Joavan punched and kicked him before finally leaving.
“I didn’t fight back because I’m bigger than him and I was inside the City Hall compound. Basin ako ang balihog pasangil nga maoy nanulong. Nilakaw ra man sab siya. Basin gikapoy na to og sinukmag nako,” dela Cuesta said over radio dySS yesterday morning.
Dela Cuesta said that after he was hit, he thought that Joavan already left.
But when he decided to leave the motorpool on his bicycle, he claimed that Joavan was waiting for him aboard his green Pajero and tried to run him over.
“Didto diay nag-atang. Gipaligsan gyud ko. Nakalihay lang ko,” he said.
He added that Joavan threatened to rain bullets on his house.
Dela Cuesta has not decided yet if he wants to pursue a case against Joavan, saying he has to consult his family first. He said he did not feel pain and that he did not suffer serious injuries.
He admitted he did not know why Joavan was so angry with him because the latter did not confront him about intrigues he heard about Ouano.
The last time they talked to each other was when Joavan asked him to go with him to Barangay Tanke. It was there that Randy Bazar attacked the mayor’s adopted son with a bolo.
Since then, he said Joavan would not acknowledge him when they saw each other at the motorpool.
Though he accused Joavan of several things, he defended Joavan from other issues that have been reported in the media.
He denied Joavan was throwing a fit at residents for not giving him shabu that night.
He declined to comment on what he knew about Joavan’s personal life. However, he said he was willing to talk with Joavan.
Senior Supt. Carmelo Valmoria, Cebu Provincial Police director, said they will assist in the filing of the case should dela Cuesta decide to pursue it against Joavan.
Asked if he was not anxious that they would be filing another case only to be withdrawn later on, following Mercedita and Winston Abellana’s recantation of the serious illegal detention and robbery charges, he said it was a victim’s right to retract their statement.
As for sustaining the case in court, Valmoria said another pillar in the justice system took care of that. But if dela Cuesta decides to pursue his case against Joavan, Valmoria assured they will assist him.
