Family of Ardot Parojinog did not ask for autopsy, says PNP chief

PNP chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JAM STA. ROSA

MANILA, Philippines — The family of former Ozamiz City councilor Ardot Parojinog has not made any request for the conduct of an autopsy since they knew about the health condition of their relative, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan said Monday.

“Accordingly, the family of Ardot Parojinog did not request for an autopsy on Ardot, knowing full well the health condition of the deceased,” Cascolan told a press briefing at Camp Crame.

“But our investigation is continuing. Any kind of findings we will be able to evaluate,” he added.

Police earlier said Parojinog died of cardiac arrest due to a heart disease inside his detention cell in Ozamiz City Police Station. He was found lifeless inside his prison cell in the morning of September 4.

Parojinog was arrested in Taiwan in May 2018 and was deported in July last year. President Rodrigo Duterte tagged him for having alleged ties with the illegal drug trade.

Two days after his death, Ardot’s older sister Melodina Parojinog Malingin, who had been in jail since 2017, also died at a hospital in Ozamiz City.

She died due to “cardiogenic shock secondary to intractable cardiac arrhythmia atrial fibrillation to ventricular tachycardia,” according to her attending physicians.

Malingin and Ardot were siblings of former Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, who was killed with 15 others in a raid at their family’s property in July 2017. Reynaldo’s children, former vice mayor Nova Parojinog and Reynaldo Parojinog, Jr. were arrested in the raid.

JPV