Ozamiz court won’t allow Nova Parojinog, brother to attend parents’ burial

MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A local court in Ozamiz City denied on Friday, August 11, the motion filed by suspended Vice Mayor Nova Princess and his brother Reynaldo Jr to be granted a 48-hour furlough to attend the vigil and burial of their slain parents.

Nova and Reynaldo are facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and drugs before Ozamiz Regional Trial Court Branch 15. 

The two were arrested during a pre-dawn raid on their residence on July 30 where their father, Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr, their mother Susan, their uncle Octavio Jr, aunt Mona, and 11 other people were killed for allegedly shooting it out with cops serving their search warrants.

Mayor Parojinog and his vice mayor daughter Nova were identified by President Rodrigo Duterte from his list of alleged narcopoliticians in August 2016 – one year before the bloody raid. (TIMELINE: Parojinog, from Duterte’s narco list to a bloody raid)

The burial of the 4 Parojinogs – the mayor, his wife, and his siblings – is scheduled on Monday, August 14.

On Thursday, before he heard both sides on the motion for furlough, RTC Branch 15 Presiding Judge Edmundo Pintac said “the foremost question is the security, peace and order of the city.” 

While there were instances in the past that the court granted furlough for suspects to attend burials of loved ones, he pointed out that the Parojinogs were “not your ordinary accused,” and were in fact “high risk” suspects. 

Nova Princess Parojinog’s 17-year old daughter Sophia Naja Adriana Parojinog told Rappler on Thursday she fears for her and her younger siblings’ safety. 

Asked where she would feel safe, she said, “Nowhere. It is hard to trust anyone anymore, especially the police.” 

She said the family will try to live normal lives, “but we don’t know what the police will do after the burial.” – Rappler.com