Ozamiz mayor bewails tag with robbery group

DON’T associate our city’s name with criminals.

Ozamiz City Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez issued this appeal after hearing a report that some of the suspects tagged in the failed P1.2-million heist at the Robinsons Place Mall in Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City, last Monday came from her city.

“It is frustrating and degrading on our part to hear news that literally mentioned our city, Ozamiz City as the area where the group came from,” she said.

In a phone interview, Mayor Echavez said the Ozamiz City government won’t tolerate constituents who are involved in crimes and will help Cebu City officials in locating the alleged mastermind, Junjun Cabando, who remains at large.

“Granting without admitting that the person involved is a resident of Ozamiz, the city should not be held directly responsible for the individual acts of its constituents and it is more ethical and proper to address them by their names,” the mayor said.

Echavez said the suspects are personally liable and accountable for their acts.

Despite this, Echavez admitted that the suspects were natives of Ozamiz City.

She even confirmed that one of the three slain suspects, Mario Dapitan, hailed from Clarin, Ozamiz City, and was involved in a series of carnappings in their city.

Echavez said Cabando has a standing arrest warrant in their city.

She said Cabando was jailed during the term of her father Reynaldo “Aldong” Parojinog, but was released after he posted bail.

She also clarified that Ozamiz City doesn’t have Kuratong Baleleng Gang.

“We don’t want our constituents to run away and avoid arrest or prosecution in order to threaten other areas,” Echavez said. Correspondent Fe Marie Dumaboc