Two of Joavan's pals have police records

CEBU, Philippines - Two of the companions of Joavan Fernandez, who were arrested last Tuesday along with the adopted son of the Talisay City mayor, have police records.

The police said that Alinor Mamao Andingan, 29, of Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City, who then used a false name Brix M. Daligdig, has a pending warrant of arrest issued by Acting Presiding Judge Jesus Dela Peña of the Regional Trial Court branch 27 of Lapu-Lapu City last January 26, 2005.

According to the copy of the warrant of arrest furnished by the court to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7, Daligdig was accused of violating Section 11 or use of drug paraphernalia under Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The bail bond for his temporary release is fixed at P100,000.

CIDG-7 personnel discovered that Andingan has the same face of Daligdig’s picture and further verification led them to determine that Andingan and Daligdig is one and the same person.

Andingan was also arrested some time in 2002 for his alleged involvement in a robbery incident in Lapu-Lapu City.

In that robbery, the group reportedly took P6 million from a lending firm.

He told reporters that the name Brix Daligdig was what his friends used to call him as his pet name. He then refused to comment further.

Andingan was one of the four companions of Joavan arrested last Tuesday for illegal possession of firearm, drugs, disobedience to the police, and traffic violations.

Meanwhile, records also showed that Wilfedo Abellana Vega, 46, of Talisay City, also one of Joavan’s companions during the arrest, was arrested last November 2005 by operatives of the Vice Control Section, now Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office.

The unit arrested him in a buy-bust operation at sitio Papas along V. Rama Avenue when he served as the driver of the multicab of one Jovencio Retuerto, who was the subject of the operation for illegal drugs.

Vega’s case was however dismissed.

Meanwhile, Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez visited his son at the CIDG-7 detention cell yesterday morning. — Niña G. Sumacot/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)