CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga -- Actor Mark Anthony Fernandez was arrested on Monday evening by Angeles City police operatives for possession of marijuana.
Senior Superintendent Sidney Villaflor, Angeles City police director, said that Fernandez was on board a yellow Ford Mustang (ZGN-667) when arrested by Station 6 operatives along MacArthur Highway, Barangay Virgen Delos Remedios, Angeles City, around 8:30 p.m.
Villaflor said Station 6 personnel were conducting an anti-criminality checkpoint at the said highway when they flagged down the Ford Mustang.
He said that instead of stopping, the driver of the car sped away going to the City of San Fernando.
This prompted the policemen to chase the car until it was intercepted due to heavy traffic at the said highway, Villaflor said.
When the policemen accosted the driver, it turned out to be Fernandez.
Police recovered from the suspect's car a pack of dried marijuana weighing one kilogram, Villaflor said.
Fernandez tested positive during the field test for THC Metabolites (active ingredients of marijuana) but negative for shabu.
Villaflor said that the actor was probably on his way to meet a "friend" in the city when he was arrested.
But Fernandez, a son of now late actor Rudy Fernandez and actress Alma Moreno, said he had no idea how the illegal substance got into his car but he admitted he was on his way to buy marijuana from a dealer.
"The marijuana is not yet in my possession. It was just about to be handed over to me by the dealers when the police suddenly showed up," said Fernandez.
He admitted to using marijuana to avoid having cancer, the illness that caused the death of his late father.
The actor is presently detained at Police Station 6 and Fernandez underwent an inquest process on Tuesday at the Angeles City Prosecutor's office. (With Ric Sapnu and Princess Clea Arcellaz of Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
