By HANNAH TORREGOZA
The timing of the search warrant served against slain Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog has been questioned by at least two senators who hinted the possibility of a Senate inquiry on the criminal procedures adopted by the police in their anti-drug campaign.
Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon said it was “too much of a coincidence” that the date and time the search warrant was served against the Ozamiz mayor was similar to then Albuerra, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa who was also killed in a pre-dawn raid.
“Why are search warrants, served before dawn as in the cases of Mayor Espinosa and now, Mayor Parojinog, result in the deaths of the persons being searched? Both are tagged as drug lords. Too much of a coincidence?” Drilon said in a text message.
“Generally, a search warrant should be served in the daytime. While it maybe also be served anytime of the night, the issuing judge must so expressly specify in the search warrant,” the Senate minority chief said citing, Section 9, Rule 126, of the Rules of Court.
Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said that in the police manual, arrest warrants are required to be served during day time.
“According to the police, the house was under surveillance for quite a long time already. And number two according to the police, I saw the interview, one of the policemen, as a rule they were serving search warrants at night daw,” Escudero said in an ANC interview.
“That one I do not understand because again their own manual says as a general rule, it should be served during the day time,” Escudero said.
Escudero, however, said he is not yet ready to believe there could be abuses committed on the part of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
