Court denies Parojinogs bid to attend slain parents’ funeral

Ozamiz RTC Br15 denies motion for furlough of Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog & brother Reynaldo Jr. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/jgAWikMYBG

— Mariz Umali (@marizumali) August 11, 2017

The Ozamiz City Regional Trial Court has denied the bid of the Parojinog siblings—Ozamiz City Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog and Councilor Reynaldo Parojinog Jr.—for a two-day pass from detention.

The siblings had asked for the pass so they could attend the last night of the vigil and funeral of their father Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr., mother Susan, uncle Octavio and aunt Monna.

Nova and Reynaldo are detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame on charges of illegal possession of firearms and drugs.

Executive Judge Edmundo Pintac commiserated with the accused and offered them the court's sincere condolences.

He, however, decided to give greater weight to the need for caution.

"[The] court takes notice that emotions are high between people who are sympathetic to the accused-movants and people who are against them," the ruling read.

"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," it added.

A report by Rida Reyes in Balitanghali said that the Ozamiz City Regional Trial Court Branch 15 conducted a hearing to discuss the urgent motion for furlough that the Parojinogs submitted to the court on Wednesday.

During the hearing, the Parojinog camp said that they would cover all the costs of the trip, including the airfare and accommodations of the security escorts and jailguards that will accompany the Parojinog siblings.

Nova and Reynaldo Jr. were among those arrested in the raid at their family compound.

The police operation led to the killing of 16 people including the mayor, his wife and siblings.

However, Ozamiz Police Chief Inspector Dennis Tano opposed the motion, citing threats to security.

He said that according to an intelligence report from the Police Regional Office, a threat of attack in the city was monitored.

The report said that while authorities understand the Parojinog's sentiments, they had already been given the opportunity to attend the first day of the wake last July 31.

The RTC will study the motion and announce a decision as soon as possible, the report added. —with a report from Jessica Bartolome/NB/KVD, GMA News