By MARTIN A. SADONGDONG*
Former Ozamiz City Councilor Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog was found dead in his detention cell in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, hours before appearing in a court hearing on Friday morning, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.
Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said Parojinog was transferred from the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City to Ozamiz City Police Station on Thursday to attend a hearing on the criminal charges he was facing related to illegal drugs, murder, and illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives.
Parojinog was found lifeless at 6 a.m. inside his cell.
Citing initial findings, Banac said investigators did not find any sign of violence.
“One of his escorts was waking him up in his cell but he was already unresponsive. Upon discovery, the police on duty immediately called for a medical team to attend to [him],” Banac said in a phone interview.
“There was no violence — no gunshot or anything. He was just discovered dead by our police. The security was very tight because he is a high-risk inmate,” he added.
Meanwhile, Police Brig. Gen. Rolando Anduyan, regional director of Northern Mindanao Police Regional Office (PRO-10), said the police escorts told him that Parojinog was “already pale” when he arrived in Ozamiz City.
“Medyo matamlay na raw siya noong dumating. Medyo delikado ito kasi galing sa Maynila, eh iba ang panahon natin ngayon ‘di ba?,”referring to the possible COVID-19 infection of Parojinog.
“Sa ngayon, umaasa kami sa health office ng Ozamiz kung ipa-autopsy or ano dahil we are observing protocols sa COVID-19,” Anduyan said in a radio interview with DZBB.
However, Banac said Parojinog was subjected to COVID-19 testing before he was allowed to travel for the court hearing.
Banac said PNP Chief Lieutenant General Camilo Cascolan has already directed Anduyan to place the Ozamiz City Police chief and all night shift duty personnel under restrictive custody so they can be available for further investigation.
The security team from the PNP Custodial Center who escorted Parojinog, headed by Lieutenant Colonel Jiger Noceda, was also placed under investigation to determine their liabilities.
“The PNP is on top of the situation. Currently, we are investigating the cause of his death and to exact liability on the duty policemen booth from Ozamiz City police and the security team from Camp Crame custodial center for any possible administrative or criminal case,” Banac said.
While Parojinog’s cause of death is yet to be determined, Banac noted that the escort team will undergo a 14-day quarantine period as part of safety protocol.
Parojinog was the younger brother of ex-Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. who was killed along with his wife and 13 others in a police raid on the properties owned by the clan in July 2017.
President Duterte had accused the mayor of alleged involvement in illegal drug trade in Ozamiz City in August 2016.
In July 2018, the younger Parojinog was deported to the Philippines after he was arrested in Taiwan where he fled during the bloody raid.
