Joavan asks court to cancel warrant of arrest

JOAVAN Fernandez is seeking the court’s reconsideration on the issuance of an arrest order against him for failing to attend the arraignment.

Joavan, through his lawyer George Bragat, requested Regional Trial Court Judge Enriquita Belarmino of Branch 57 to lift the bench warrant issued against the accused.

Bragat also asked the court to reinstate the P200,000 bail bond put up by Joavan.

The defense lawyer said Joavan didn’t intend to defy nor disobey the court.

“The accused’s failure to appear for the scheduled arraignment in this particular case was only due to circumstances brought about by memory lapse and sheer excusable inadvertence on his part,” said Bragat who formally filed his appearance as Joavan’s counsel in court.

The court issued a warrant of arrest against Fernandez after the adopted son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez failed to attend his June 16 arraignment and pre-trial conference in relation to drug charges he is facing.

In his pleading filed in court, Bragat said Joavan was with the Talisay City Police in conducting a checkpoint on traffic violators.

Joavan is facing charges for possession of illegal drugs after police recovered 20 plastic sachets or 1.29 grams of shabu in a Honda Civic that he drove last Feb. 6.

The car was abandoned by Joavan in barangay Carreta, Cebu City, after he rammed the vehicle into a police car driven by Chief Insp. George Ylanan, head of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB).

Joavan was later arrested by police but he posted a surety bond to satisfy the P200,000 bail recommended by the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office./REPORTER ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL