Shoots up gas station: Joavan back to old habits

CEBU, Philippines - Joavan Fernandez is once again involved in another shooting incident.

The adopted son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez was accused of shooting the cashier of a Shell gas station in Talisay City at 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

Talisay City police chief Supt. Eddie Recamara  has issued an order to his men to arrest Joavan if they see him.

Joavan has been known for his several brushes with the law.  Despite this, he was tapped by the local police to help in its crime-busting operations as part of his rehabilitation process.

He was also hired by his father as chief of Talisay City Mananga Task Force.

However, last September, Joavan again figured in another incident.  He was accused of firing a gun outside the house of Ignacio Enjambre, a money lender, for refusing to lend him P10,000.

On yesterday’s incident, one of the pump boys who refused to be named for fear of retaliation told The Freeman that Joavan arrived at the station to have his white Honda CRV refilled.

However, they all ran to the station’s convenience store since they were already instructed by the management not to refill any of Joavan’s cars as he will not pay.

“Natagam nami sauna. Hapit man mi niya ilamparo maong nanagan mi,” he said.

This irked Joavan who allegedly fired three times at the cashier’s booth.

“Kung wa pa to nidagan og apil ang kahera, patay gyud to ba,” said one of the witnesses who was supposed to have his motorcycle refilled.

The pump boy revealed that Joavan still has to settle his unpaid balance with their gas station.

He said when they saw the white Honda CRV without a plate number, they immediately ran towards the convenience store leaving their other customers behind for fear that Joavan will harass them again.

Three empty shells from a .45 caliber pistol were found in the crime scene.

One of the witnesses said when she heard the shots, she immediately scampered for safety.

After the incident, witnesses saw Joavan left and drove towards Barangay Tabunok.

It was Efren Oro, 21, one of the pump attendants, who reported the incident to the Talisay City police.

This was not the first time that pump attendants of Shell Bulacao accused him of harassment.

In March last year, he allegedly hit two pump boys and a security guard because his car was not refilled.

Mayor Fernandez, was quick to come to his rescue by paying his son’s unpaid bills.

The incident was reported at the barangay and the police but no case was filed against the mayor’s son.

Joavan was also accused of brandishing his high-powered gun in a Petron gas station in Barangay Lawaan I in July 2008 after the pump boys refused to refill his car.

Joavan was also accused of murder and frustrated murder in 2006 for allegedly shooting to death a PUJ driver and hitting two others.  However, the case did not prosper as the victims’ families desisted.

Joavan was also charged with serious illegal detention for abducting two vulcanizing shop workers but like the other cases, it did not prosper. — /MBG (FREEMAN)