Cops check on Joavan, 17-year-old girl

A mother’s complaint that her teenage daughter was allegedly being chased by a gun-toting son of Talisay Mayor Socrates Fernandez sent policemen rushing to the official’s hilltop rest house Balay sa Pag-ampo (House of Prayer) in barangay Candulawan.

Police found Joavan Fernandez there painting his car.

But there was no commotion or girl in distress.

The mother had apparently told police a hoax emergency when she went to the station past 1 a.m. last Monday, said SPO2 Jeffrey Diola of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) of the Cebu City police.

She said a text message from her 17-year-old daughter asked for help because Joavan was armed with a .45-caliber pistol and chasing her,
Police accompanied the mother to the rest house about 2 a.m.

There was no commotion when policemen arrived.

The 17-year-old girl was inside the house talking to another girl.

The teenage girl told police she didn’t send any SOS text about being attacked by Joavan, said Chief Insp. Eddie Recamora, officer in charge of the Talisay City police.

Joavan, as expected, denied trying to harm her.

Chief Insp. Recamora said it was later found out that the mother had made up the story, perhaps because she disapproved of her daughter’s relationship with the mayor’s son, whose brushes with the law have earned him a rogue reputation.

The girl insisted on staying in the Balay sa Pag-ampo but was later convinced by her mother to go home, said police./CORRESPONDENTS GABRIEL C. BONJOC AND CHITO O. ARAGON