JOAVAN Fernandez will go on trial on charges of slight illegal detention for the alleged mauling of two vulcanizing shop workers in his house over three years ago.
Regional Trial Court Judge Ester Veloso of Branch 6 reduced the gravity of the original charge of serious illegal detention against the adopted son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez.
She said the evidence showed that the alleged detention lasted only two hours and that the victims’ injuries were not serious based on medical certificates presented.
Serious illegal detention is committed by any person who kidnaps or detains another for over five days.
Joavan and five companions were accused of detaining Winston Abellana and his cousin Osbert for two hours last August 11, 2008 and then mauling them in Joavan’s house in Plainville Subdivision, Talisay.
The mayor’s son was angry at the cousins whom he accused of stealing the spare tire from his father’s vehicle, when it was earlier brought to their shop for repairs.
Also charged in court were Benedict Gabasa, Teodoro Ligaray, Mark Perez and the two minors.
The charge of serious illegal detention is non-bailable, but the court allowed the accused to post bail because the evidence against them was weak.
The accused were released from detention in 2009./UC INTERN JESTINE MARIE D. LERIT