Security concerns have dissuaded judges and prosecutors in Ozamiz City from handling the criminal cases brought against Ozamiz Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog and her brother Reynaldo Jr., according to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.
Facing this difficulty, Aguirre has requested Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to order the holding of the trial of the Parojinog siblings in a Quezon City court instead of Ozamiz.
“Transferring the venue of trial … will obviate the need for additional security personnel to be assigned to the witnesses and more [jail guards] for the accused,” Aguirre told Sereno in a letter dated on Aug. 17, a copy of which was sent to the media on Monday.
He said hearing the cases against the Parojinogs outside Ozamiz “will deter [their] agents from possibly threatening, inflicting harm or influencing the prosecution witnesses.”
Fear of threats
“In addition, not only are the judges in Ozamiz City hesitant to try the cases in their sala, the Office of the City Prosecutor of Ozamiz has likewise expressed concern and fear of threats in the event that they will be tasked to prosecute the cases in Ozamiz City courts,” Aguirre said.
The vice mayor and her brother have been indicted for drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms after the bloody predawn police raid on several houses owned by their family.
The clan patriarch, Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr., his wife Susan and 14 others were killed in the July 30 police operation, which led to the seizure of illegal drugs and a cache of unlicensed firearms.
Aguirre said the government should not underestimate the influence of the Parojinogs even with the death of the Parojinog patriarch.
Capacity to influence
“The fact that they have been in power … for so long is a clear indication that they have the capacity to influence, if not threaten the prosecution witnesses, the judges and the prosecutors and subvert the criminal proceedings in Ozamiz City in their favor,” he said.
Aguirre made the request following the decision of Presiding Judge Salome Dungog of Ozamiz City Regional Trial Court Branch 35 to recuse herself from handling the cases as she was due to retire from the judiciary this month.