Ozamis City Mayor Parojinog and 13 others dead in Ozamiz raid; daughter arrested

As part of Duterte on Drugs update, Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and six others were killed in a series of raids conducted by police authorities in San Roque Lawis in Ozamiz City on Sunday.

Armed with six search warrants, Ozamis City police and the Criminal Investigation Group (CIDG) of Region 10 raided at dawn Sunday the house of city mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. and two other areas on reports of guns being illegally kept, and at least 14 people, including the mayor, are dead in an “engagement,” police said.

Senior Supt. Jason de Guzman, head of the Misamis Occidental provincial police office, said the CIDG had asked for help of the local police to serve a warrant, but that the combined team was immediately greeted with gunfire as they approached the area in San Roque Lawis district.

De Guzman told Radyo5 that in all, 14 people were dead, up from his initial estimate of “12 to 13.”

He said seven persons were killed including Mayor Parojinog.

The Catholic-owned Radio dxDD in Ozamiz said the other slain during the operations were Parojinog’s wife, Susan; Misamis Occidental Board member Octavio Parojinog Jr., a Lydia and JR of Lumad TV, civilian volunteer members Miguel del Victoria, Nestor Cabalan, and Daniel D. Vasquez.

Reports said the mayor himself was gunned down, along with his wife Susan and sibling, board member Octavio Parojinog. Four of the fatalities were members of a local auxiliary force, and it was unclear if they were killed while defending the mayor.

Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog, who was at the scene, was unharmed but was detained and under investigation.