Criminal cases vs. Parojinog siblings filed with Ozamiz court

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed on Friday criminal cases against Ozamiz City Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog and her brother Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. following the deadly police raid on their residences last Sunday.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, one of the three prosecutors who handled the inquest proceedings, said the cases were filed with the Ozamiz City Regional Trial Court, where they would be raffled off to a judge.

The filing came two days after the panel of prosecutors came out with the resolution recommending charges against the respondents.

Nova was charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of dangerous drugs.

Reynaldo Jr, on the other hand, is facing cases of possession of dangerous drugs, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and illegal possession of explosives.

Nova, Reynaldo Jr, and several other occupants of the Parojinog residence were arrested after policemen served to them warrants for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Police, however, claimed the subjects of the warrants resisted arrest resulting in a firefight during which Nova's father, Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr; her mother; and 14 others were killed.

The vice mayor, however, claimed that the raid was illegal and that the authorities planted evidence against them. Her camp also said the raid was an overkill.

The siblings, who have yet to comment on the indictment, were flown to Metro Manila and are currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Navera said there was no decision yet on whether they would ask the court to transfer the trial to Manila for practical and security reasons. — MDM/KVD, GMA News