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[av_heading heading=’Dela Rosa on Ozamiz raid: More to come Senators cast doubt on ‘unrealistic’ ops ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO and PRINCE GOLEZ
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Tuesday, august 1, 2017
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MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa saw nothing wrong in the police raid on Sunday that led to the death of Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr.
More similar operations will be held, dela Rosa warned, saying the raid should compel narco-politicians to surrender. But several senators doubted the operation, saying it was “unrealistic” and needed further scrutiny.
“So far wala akong nakikitang problema based on the report on the serving of the warrant,” dela Rosa told reporters at Camp Crame on Monday. “Marami pa. Hintay-hintay lang kayo.”
“This should serve as a warning to everyone na ang PNP ay walang sinasanto pagdating sa enforcement ng batas,” he added. “As far as law enforcement is concerned, we have no fear or favor.”
Joint forces of the regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Misamis Occidental Police Provincial Office and Ozamiz City police station were out to search the properties owned by the Parojinogs.
But an exchange of gunfire ensued before the search warrants were served, resulting in 14 casualties, including Mayor Parojinog, wife Susan, and brother Misamis Occidental provincial board member Octavio Parojinog Jr., police said. About a dozen others were killed, too.
Parajinog’s daughter Ozamiz vice mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez and son Councilor Ardot Parojinog were arrested and brought to Camp Crame on Monday.
“Kaya nga may nahuli tayo kasi we are not meant to kill,” dela Rosa said. “Ako, I want them to be alive to answer the charges, but when he resisted arrest, I want my men alive more than him.”
“I hope those are things na maiiwasan sa susunod. ’Wag na tayong maglabanan, sumurender na lang, tapusin na iyong mga ginagawang mali at mag-heed sa request or sa pakiusap ng ating Presidente,” he added.
Mayor Parojinog was one of the local government officials named in President Rodrigo Duterte’s “narco-list.” He vehemently denied any hand in the drug trade.
“I will not be surprised if one of my colleagues will file a resolution [seeking] to investigate what happened,” Sen. Francis Escudero said as he cited the death of Rolando Espinosa Sr. of Albuera, Leyte – another mayor linked to the drug trade.
In November last year, Espinosa was shot in a cell in a sub-provincial jail in Baybay, Leyte while he was being served an arrest warrant.
The cases against the Parojinogs do not merit a “death warrant,” said Escudero. “Search warrant siguro, oo. Arrest warrant siguro, oo. But not a death warrant.”
Sen. Francis Pangilinan called the Ozamiz raids “unrealistic.”
“Serving warrants of arrest past 2 a.m. Disabling the closed-circuit TV cameras prior to entering the premises. All 15 suspected drug lords at the scene of the crime and their ‘armed to the teeth’ bodyguards are killed. No injuries or casualties on the side of the PNP. Hindi makatotohanan,” Pangilinan said.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon questioned the serving of search warrants early in the morning and defended the Senate for looking into such incidents. “I don’t like it but it (investigation) is made necessary by what is happening. … [We] have to.”
Mayor Parojinog was the third drug-linked mayor killed amid the government’s relentless antidrug campaign. Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi, Ampatuan was also killed in an antidrug operation in October last year.
What signal do these deaths send to narco-politicians? “That they should be forewarned,” Escudero said. “It shows the seriousness of the administration … insofar as [the] battle against drugs is concerned.”/PN
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