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Just two days after the death of Former Ozamiz City councilor Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog, his sister Melodia Parojinog also died under government custody.

In his first press briefing as police chief on Monday, September 7, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Camilo Cascolan announced the death of Melodia under government custody on Sunday, September 6.

Cascolan said Parojinog died of cardiogenic shock, “similar” to the death of her brother, who was found dead in his jail cell on September 4.

In a phone call with Rappler on Monday, Northern Mindanao police chief Brigadier General Rolando Anduyan said Melodia was detained at the Ozamiz City Jail under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) before she was rushed to the hospital, where she was declared dead.

Cascolan and Anduyan see no foul play in the deaths of the siblings.

The Duterte government and the Parojinogs

Ardot and Melodia are siblings of Reynaldo Parojinog, the Ozamiz City mayor who was slain by police in a raid of his home in July 2017.

Reynaldo and Ardot were named in President Rodrigo Duterte’s infamous drug list in 2016. Several officials in the list were also slain by police and vigilante-style killers.

Since the July raid of the Parojinog home, police have been searching for other Parojinog kin whom they suspect of being involved in the drug trade.

Melodia was arrested in a December 2017 raid with her husband. Ardot was arrested in Taiwan and sent back to the Philippines in May 2018.

Reynaldo is survived by his children, former vice mayor Nova Parojinog and Reynaldo Parojinog Jr, who were arrested in the July 2017 raid.

Reynaldo Jr was sentenced to life imprisonment for drug possession, while Nova is still facing charges for illegal possession of drugs and firearms. – Rappler.com