PNP versus Parojinogs: Different versions

BAÑOC

To be fair and objective, it is incumbent upon those who were not present during the raid on Sunday pre-dawn that resulted in the deaths of Mayor Reynaldo “Aldong” Parojinog and 14 others to know first the undisputable facts and the disputable ones.

The undisputable facts are the following: The executive judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 89 of Quezon City issued the six search warrants whose subjects are the houses of the Parojinogs located at Brgy. San Roque, Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental; The joint forces of Ozamiz City Police and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-10) were armed with the said warrants in raiding the subject houses.

The additional facts are that the raid was conducted at 2:30 pre-dawn of Sunday, July 30, 2017; that gun fires were heard during the implementation of the warrant; that Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, his wife Suzan, brother Octavio and 12 others were killed; that Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echaves and her brother, Reynaldo Jr., were arrested by the raiding team.

After determining the undisputable facts, we now check the different claims. They are disputable and debatable. We just need to evaluate which claim is backed up with evidence and is in line with the human conduct so that we can analyze which is more believable and credible.

On the part of the Parojinogs, the disputable facts in their favor are the following: Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echaves said that the shabu and high-powered firearms recovered by the police were planted. That the Parojinogs were summarily executed by the police because there was no exchange of fires; that Mayor Parojinog is a good man according to the City Hall employees and neighbors.

On the part of the police, Chief Inspector Juvie Espenido, Ozamiz City chief of police, claimed that they could not easily get into the houses of the Parojinogs because there were iron barricades being set up on the roads. When they were approaching the subject houses, they were met with a volley of gunfire from the security of Mayor Parojinog, which prompted them to retaliate. One police officer was injured during the encounter.

After the exchanges of fires, the police searched the subject houses. They found packs of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu, huge amount of money and high-powered firearms and ammunitions. Police also said, and at least it is a public knowledge, that the Parojinogs are notorious being the leaders of the known criminal group, Kuratong Baleleng.

There are two sides of the coin. It is understandable that both sides have conflicting claims. So which claims are more believable? The Parojinogs have their own motives in making their own claims. So do the police.

The valid questions that everyone needs to pause and ponder on are the following: If the evidences were planted, why was the vice mayor caught in a video footage trying to eat something and gripping in her hand a white substance believed to be shabu, prompting two policewomen to forcefully open her palm? Considering the background of the Parojinogs as leaders of Kuratong Baleleng, is the possibility remote that they possess high-powered guns? Is it not self-serving for the City Hall employees and neighbors who are the beneficiaries of the mayor to say that the he was a good man?

If indeed it was a summary execution, why were there those who were kept alive, namely the vice mayor and Reynaldo Jr.?

On the questions of Sen. Kiko Pangilinan and Sen. Franklin Drilon that the police maliciously served the search warrant because it was at the predawn of Sunday, is it not a fact that a warrant can be served anytime? Are they sincere on their questions as lawyer-senators or are they just moved by their political affiliations?

The additional question is if the police used of excessive force against the Parojinogs. But wait, do they forget that the Parojinogs are the leaders of the well-trained and well-armed criminal group, Kuratong Baleleng? Is it not basic for the PNP to prepare for the worst scenario such that the subjects of the warrant would engage in a firefight? Is it not basic that you should never underestimate your opponent?

Finally, there’s former president Nonoy Aquino’s belief — in line with the suspicions of Senator Pangilinan — that the fact that there is no casualty on the side of the PNP makes the firefight claim unrealistic. It seems that they want to see dead policemen to believe that a gun battle really took place. Does Noynoy want the Filipino people to remember his unforgivable mistake in ignoring to rescue the murdered SAF 44?

Duterte’s critics had been loud about their criticism on the drug war, saying only the small fishes were caught. Their hearts bled that only the poor were killed. Well, now we can see the start of the end of the big fishes. What is the next cry of these critics? We don’t know. What we know is they hate the President.