Ozamiz City mayor slain in raid; daughter vice mayor arrested

One of the thirteen bodies carried by authorities after a shootout with policemen during a raid in the house of Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog. (FB PHOTO/PAGADIAN SHOWS/JERSEL HIMANG)

Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 12 others were killed in a series of raids conducted by the police in San Roque Lawis in Ozamiz City yesterday.

Chief Supt. Timoteo Pacleb, the Northern Mindanao police chief, said elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) were simultaneously serving six search warrants against properties of the mayor and other Parojinog family members for drugs and firearms when they were met with violent resistance at about 2:30 a.m.

“The serving PNP personnel were met with volley of fire from their security prompting PNP personnel to retaliate,” Pacleb said in a media statement.

He said eight persons were killed including Mayor Parojinog.
Reacting to the news, Police Regional Director (PRO-7) Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino said it would have been better for them to peacefully surrender.

“We policemen don’t need such order ‘pipilian lang ang target.’ It is inherent in any police operation to defend ourselves and the public particularly if fired upon by the suspects or other people in the place of encounter,” he said.

Espino added that the police in the region will not have second thoughts in arresting and going against government officials who are into the illegal drugs trade, especially that “we have the full support of President Rodrigo Duterte.”

Fatalities

Senior Supt. Jaysen de Guzman, police chief for Misamis Occidental, said a total of 13 people were killed, including the mayor.

The others killed included Parojinog’s wife Susan, 59; his sister Mona, 52; and younger brother Octavio Jr., 44, a provincial board member of Misamis Occidental.

The Catholic-owned Radio dxDD in Ozamiz earlier listed the other fatalities as a certain Lydia and JR, both of Lumad TV; and civilian volunteers Miguel del Victoria, Nestor Cabalan, and Daniel D. Vasquez. The four others were still to be identified.

In an interview over radio dzMM, Pacleb confirmed the death of Susan and Octavio.

A policeman was also wounded in an explosion in one of the locations but the lawman was already out of danger, he said.

Pacleb said Parojinog’s daughter, Vice Mayor Nova Echaves, was arrested and was being investigated by the Misamis Occidental police office.

Reports also said several firearms and suspected shabu were seized from the houses owned by Parojinog and that of his family members.

President Rodrigo Duterte tagged the Parojinogs as among the narco-politicians operating in Mindanao.

Parojinog and his daughter, Nova, had repeatedly denied the President’s claim.

Meanwhile, Espino said with Parojinog’s death, Central Visayas will now be safe from the criminal group known as Ozamiz Kuratong Baleleng.