PAROJINOG SEEKS DUTERTE'S HELP; SENATE TO PROBE OZAMIZ RAID

MANILA – Ozamiz Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog claimed raiding officers wanted her dead, recalling the night of the Ozamiz raids that killed her father and mother and 14 others.

Parojinog claimed electricity was deliberately turned off in their homes so officers could plant firearms and drugs.

“The 1st part na brown out there objective was to murder me and plant drugs and guns,” she said, claiming that police also seized the hard drive of their CCTV cameras.

“After the 1st part was completed nagka-ilaw dumating na the 2nd part composed of CIDG. Madami po ako pasa sa katawan on record po sa medico legal dito sa Crame to prove na physically sinaktan ako at I struggled for my life during the 1st part,” she said.

She added that she knew the cops who raided their home even if they had masks on.

“Habang nawalan ng kuryente lumosob ang mga naka camouflage na naka cover ang manga mukha pero meron ako nakilala sa kanila dahil sa mga mata nila na familiar sa akin,” she said.

Parojinog now calls on President Rodrigo Duterte and the Senate to probe the series of police raids in their homes which left 16 people dead.

“Mr. President my father has so much respect [for] you. Please help us achieve justice. I am asking all help especially the Senate to call for an investigation so that truth and justice shall truly be achieved,” Nova Princess said in a letter released to the media.

“Nanawagan po ako sa lahat [ng] mga tunay na nakakakilala sa papa ko sa pagkatao niya, lalo na [iyung] nasa position, na tulungan po kami na maimbestigahan ang nangyari sa amin noon July 30 around 2 a.m.,” she added.

Duterte on Wednesday defended the Ozamiz raids and said he has a standing order for authorities to make sure that drug personalities who will put up a fight in a police operation should end up dead.

“The police and the military should make sure that their enemies are dead. Otherwise, the other guy can still pull the trigger and you will end up with dead police or dead military soldier,” Duterte said in a chance interview after speaking at the 113th founding anniversary celebration of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

But Parojinog said the police murdered her father, Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Sr., mother Susan, and others during the Sunday raids.

“He has no loose firearms. It was never his practice. There was irregularity on what happened that night. Wala po mga baril ang mga tao na sa labas na sa kalsada malapit sa aming bahay," she said.

"We have blue guards 3 of them ay registered sa security agency po shot guns ang mga baril nila. Sigurado ako na hindi po sila lalaban dahil pulis ang mga nakaharap nila,” she added.

The vice mayor also pleaded to the public to stop “fabricating stories, making our family appear like war lords because we are not,” she said.

“Me and my brother are okay. We will fight for what is right. What we are going through now will make us stronger and braver. To my children, nieces and nephews, we love you so much, take care of papa and mama there hug them for us,” she added.

Ozamiz Police Chief Jovie Espenido who led the controversial raids said the vice mayor can "say whatever she wants."

"It's okay, it's a democracy. She can say whatever she wants," he said.

Nova Princess and her brother Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. are facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of dangerous drugs.

On Thursday, an immigration lookout order has been issued against Ricardo "Arthur" Parojinog, brother of slain Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo "Aldong" Parojinog.

-- With reports from Maan Macapagal, Dharel Placido, and Raffy Santos, ABS-CBN News