Cops remove protective barricades around Ozamiz mayor’s house
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Tension gripped Ozamiz City on Thursday night when police offciers removed the barricades outside the house of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. house in Barangay San Roque there.
City information officer Elena Pelara said the Parojinog household – as well as residents living near the mayor’s home – were alarmed when elements of the Ozamiz City Police Station removed the barricades on orders of Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido, the city police director.
“We received information that Espenido ordered the removal of the barricades in response to the complaints of some residents,” Pelare said in a phone interview..
She said some policemen were also seen going around the mayor’s house as if searching for something.
The barricades, which were used to block the street near Parojinog’s home, were meant as protection, Pelare said.
She said the barricades, which were put up daily between 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., had a legal basis through a barangay ordinance.
The putting up of the barriers, she added, started when Parojinog was just serving his first term as mayor and had received numerous threats due to his anti-criminality drive.
“They (barricades) serve as part of the mayor’s security,” Pelare said.
She added that that Parojinog would wait for Espenido to visit him so he could explain to the police chief why the barriers were put up outside his home.
She said Parojinog, who was not available for comment, was dismayed at Espenido for not informing him in advance that the barriers would be removed.
“Since he (Parojinog) is the mayor, a simple courtesy should have been extended to him,” she added.
Pelare said the police might be on alert status following the death of a village councilor, who was gunned down near the Parojinog residence Thursday morning.
Jocelyn Bayron, a barangay kagawad of San Roque, was shot twice by motorcycle-riding men at the gate of a public mall in Ozamiz, just a few meters away from the mayor’s house at around 9 a.m.
Bayron was rushed to the nearest hospital but was pronounced dead inside the operating room due to cardiac arrest.
Pelare said Bayron was very active in the city’s anti-drug campaign and had served as witness in several anti-drugs operation. /atm
