Ombuds to see if Soc 'used' post to help son

CEBU - The Office of the Ombudsman Visayas eye the conduct of a fact-finding investigation against Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez for his alleged taking advantage of his position to insulate his adopted son from legal problems by bribing complainants to withdraw.

Acting Ombudsman director Carla Tangco said she will evaluate all the newspaper reports about the mayor’s alleged intervention to lure complainants against his son, Joavan, to withdraw.

Tangco said the anti-graft office is likely to investigate the mayor for possible misconduct and obstruction of justice.

Although she has yet to receive a formal directive from Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol to docket a fact-finding investigation into the controversy, Tangco said that on her level she can already do so based on the newspaper reports.

But, Tangco still urged the victims to file a formal complaint especially those who have direct knowledge of the mayor’s intervention.

Reports have it that the mayor personally offered money and jobs at the Talisay City Hall to the victims of Joavan in exchange for their withdrawal of the case.

The reports of the mayor’s alleged intervention came after two of the complainants in the serious illegal detention cases against Joavan executed affidavits of desistance.

Winston Abellana and his aunt Merceditha withdrew their complainants against Joavan after they were allegedly given P20,000 and promised jobs at the city hall.

Fernandez however denied bribing them to withdraw from the case.

This was not the first time that the mayor was accused of bribing complainants against his son to withdraw. Earlier the family of PUJ driver Panfilo Barinque, whom Joavan allegedly murdered, also executed an affidavit of desistance.

Sources said that the withdrawal came with a monetary consideration, a house and lot thru the Gawad Kalinga housing program and a job at the City Hall for one of the victim’s children.

While some of Joavan’s victims withdrew from the cases, there were also victims who are determined to seek justice.

Among them are father and son oscar and Osbert Abellana.

Osbert and his cousin Winston were allegedly kidnapped and mauled by Joavan and his friends last August 11 after they were accused of stealing the spare tire of the vehicle of the mayor.

Osbert and his father said they will pursue the case against Joavan even if Winston and Merceditha have already withdrawn.

In fact, Osbert and his father yesterday went to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to seek legal assistance.

Osbert admitted that despite Joavan’s arrest by the National Bureau of Investigation last Monday night he is still worried of his safety.

Joavan is now detained at the Talisay City Jail in barangay Maghaway following his arrest because of the two counts of serious illegal detention charges. — Fred P. Languido/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)