Duterte to Parojinog supporters: Sumunod kayo at kayo ang isusunod ko
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday warned the supporters of the Parojinog family against continuing the allegedly illegal activities of the once-powerful Ozamiz City clan.
Duterte issued the warning as he set foot for the first time in the city once held by the late Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. and his daughter, Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog, who is now detained after police swooped down on their homes last July 30.
“Ang mga tao dito, yung nakatikim ng patronage, pulitika, trabaho, iyan, paiyak-iyak kayo. Sumunod kayo at kayo ang isusunod ko. Hindi ko na hihintuan ito,” he said.
Supporters of the Parojinogs have condemned the raids that killed the Parojinog patriarch, his wife Susan, brother and Misamis Occidental board member Octavio, and sister Mona and 12 others.
Duterte believes the Parojinogs were not innocent, saying he has now made it his vow to end the narcotics trade in the city.
“TIngnan mo kung anong nagawa ng isang pamilya na hinawakan ang isang syudad,” he said.
“Pumunta ako just to assure you, at kayong mga taga-Ozamiz na nakatikim na kayo ng narco-politics. It is here to stay for a while. I hope I can get rid of it before I go out of office. I am committed to that.”
The President also recalled how Ozamiz has become the power base of notorious crime groups such as the Kuratong Baleleng Gang and Ozamiz robbery group, which was blamed for the 2008 robbery-massacre at a branch of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation in Cabuyao, Laguna as well as other mall robberies.
The leader of the Ozamiz robbery group, convict Herbert Colanggo, is reportedly in a relationship with Nova Princess.
Amid questions into the conduct of the raids, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Internal Affairs Service has initiated an investigation into the Ozamiz raids. Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros have meanwhile called for a legislative inquiry, saying circumstances surrounding the raids were suspicious. (Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News)
