PNP official: Parojinog 2018 day pass valid

The Philippine National Police (PNP) maintained on Wednesday that the free day pass given to Ozamiz City Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog more than a year ago was aboveboard. PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac told reporters on Wednesday that the PNP received a valid court order from Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 95 allowing the November 2018 medical furlough and duly abided by it.

Another Quezon City court had early this month directed the warden of the PNP custodial center to explain why Parojinog, who is on trial for illegal drug charges, was allowed to leave detention on Nov. 12, 2018, without its permission.

Parojinog is being tried by two separate courts: Quezon City RTC Branches 228 and 95, and is detained at the PNP custodial center.

No other order

Banac said the PNP received the order granting the furlough from Branch 95 and implemented it.

“We did not receive any other order,” he added.

Banac said the PNP high command was “satisfied with the explanation of the PNP custodial center officials on the circumstances surrounding the former vice mayor’s (dental visit) … under guard by custodial security escorts.”

Parojinog and her brother Reynaldo Jr. were arrested on July 30, 2017, in a raid conducted by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.