Joavan pleads not guilty

CEBU, Philippines - The notorious adopted son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez has pleaded not guilty to the malicious mischief case filed by the Talisay City Police.

Joavan Fernandez yesterday appeared before Municipal Trial Court in Cities Judge Mario Manayon for the arraignment and hearing of another criminal case.

Joavan was assisted by his lawyer George Bragat when entered his not guilty plea for the crime of malicious mischief.

The case stemmed from the incident last October at the Cebu South Coastal Road where he allegedly rammed his Mitsubishi Pajero into a police car.

The patrol car was damaged while his Pajero was taken into police custody pending the resolution of the case. The court has scheduled the pre-trial conference of the case on April 7.

In another case, the prosecution presented yesterday Police Officer 1 Rusty Pelayo, one of the three policemen who arrested Joavan in June 4 last year following a traffic altercation with registered nurse Vincent Joe Castrodes.

Castrodes charged Joavan for grave threats after the latter allegedly pointed a gun at him. Joavan was reportedly irked when Castrodes blew his horn behind Joavan’s vehicle.

Bragat opted to cross-examine Pelayo in the next hearing to allow him to study the stenographic notes of the proceedings yesterday.

Bragat requested the court to give him more time to study the direct testimony of Pelayo for him to be able to “intelligently” defend Joavan.

The court has scheduled Pelayo’s cross examination on May 17.

After the hearing, Joavan rushed outside the courtroom without a word and boarded his red Isuzu Bighorn with plate number YEZ 460.

Joavan had just obtained another release order from the court after posting P100,000 bail for his temporary liberty in a separate case for robbery before the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City.

The case was filed by Raymond Parad, a clubhouse attendant of Vista Grande Subdivision, whom Joavan allegedly robbed with two bottles of coke in December last year.

Paran however had already filed an affidavit of desistance before the court. But the affidavit did not prevent RTC Judge Gilbert Moises to issue a warrant of arrest against Joavan.

But Moises immediately issued a release order even before Joavan could be arrested because he already paid the recommended bail. (FREEMAN)