MANILA, Philippines – The court has thumbed down the plea of siblings Nova Princess Parojinog and Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. to attend the wake and burial of their parents, who were among those killed in the July 30 predawn raid in Ozamiz City.
In its August 11, 2017 order, Executive Judge Edmundo P. Pintac of the Ozamiz Regional Trial Court-Branch 15 denied the siblings’ motion for furlough, citing the “safety and security” of Nova and Reynaldo and the police officers who would escort them back to the city.
“The Court chooses the path of caution and gives greater weight to the assessment of the police more especially that of the Ozamiz City police…” Pintac said.
“Additionally, the Court takes notice that emotions are high between people who are sympathetic to the accused-movants and people who are against them,” the judge further said in his ruling.
“The Court is overly concerned for good reason that the presence of the accused-movants would provide the spark that would ignite and cause those emotions to erupt and for the opposing sides to turn violent and clash against each other, thereby endangering the security and safety of the accused-movants,” he added.
Nova and Reynaldo Jr., are both detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City and were indicted for non-bailable offenses by the Department of Justice.
Nova Princess, the vice mayor of Ozamiz, is accused of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and dangerous drugs while Reynaldo Jr. is charged with three counts of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and illegal possession of explosives and dangerous drugs.
The siblings asked the court to allow them to attend the last vigil for their slain parents Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. and Susan Engracia-Parojinog, uncle Octavio Parojoinog Jr., and aunt Mona Projinog on August 13 and their burial the following day.
The PNP opposed the siblings’ plea, saying the two “are high security risk detainees…considering their power and political influence.”
