THE Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office indicted Joavan Fernandez on charges of possession of illegal drugs yesterday.
Charges for a violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are expected to be filed with the Regional Trial Court today.
Bail was set at P200,000.
In her resolution, Assistant City Prosecutor Aida Sanchez found probable cause against Joavan, the adopted son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez.
“After a careful evaluation of the allegations and counter-allegations of the parties, the undersigned investigating prosecutor finds that the respondent and his witness had not effectively overthrown the presumption of regularity of official duties that the arresting police officers have their favor,” Sanchez said.
The judge said Joavan’s claim of innocence “can only be properly threshed out during trial and after a full-blown hearing.”
Police recovered 20 plastic sachets of shabu or a total weight of 1.29 grams inside a Honda Civic driven by Joavan last Feb. 6.
The Honda Civic was abandoned by Joavan in barangay Carreta, Cebu City, after he rammed his vehicle into a police car./ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL