(Eagle News) — The Department of Justice has ordered the filing of criminal charges against Ozamiz Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog and her brother, Reynaldo Jr.
In a resolution dated Aug. 2, the DOJ said charges for illegal possession of firearms and possession of illegal drugs would be filed in court against the vice mayor.
Her brother, the DOJ said, would face charges for illegal possession of dangerous drugs, firearms and ammunition and illegal possession of explosives.
“Unlicensed”
In finding probable cause for the indictment for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition against the vice mayor, the DOJ said the Philippine National Police had seized an M16 rifle, one piece of fired cartridge case for an M16 rifle, one piece of plastic magazine for an M16 rifle, and 13 pieces of live ammunition for an M16 rifle from her house even if she was not a licensed firearm owner based on PNP Firearms and Licensing Division records.
As for the brother who is facing a case for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and illegal possession of explosives, the DOJ said based on the PNP inventory, the police seized a hand grenade and the same weapons from his house.
Based on PNP records, Reynaldo Jr. is also an unlicensed firearm owner.
Drugs found in Parojinog residences
According to the DOJ, there was probable cause for the charges for illegal possession of dangerous drugs against the siblings because illegal drugs had indeed been found by the police inside their residences.
The DOJ said the argument that the illegal substances could not be used against the Parojinogs because they were not the subject of the search warrants the police used as bases for their raids did not hold.
“Under the plainview doctrine, objects falling in the ‘plain view’ of an officer, who has a right to be in a position to have that view, are subject to seizure and may be presented as evidence,” the DOJ said.
The DOJ also said the arrest of the Parojinogs was valid, also dismissing the siblings’ camp’s argument that they should be released because charges had not been filed against them within 36 hours since their arrest on Sunday.
For this, the DOJ said there were “extenuating circumstances” that would allow for the “relaxation” of the 36-hour rule, such as the fact, based on police statements, that the authorities had to return the warrant issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 89, make an inventory of the items seized, and take the siblings to Manila from Ozamiz for security reasons.
The DOJ also took into account that the search warrants were implemented on a Sunday.
“After considering the arguments of both parties, we ruled that the delay in bringing the respondents for inquest proceedings was excusable because of the factually unique circumstances,” the DOJ said.
In the early-morning raids, the Parojinogs’ father, Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Sr., his wife Susan, siblings Mona and Octavio, and several others were also killed.
The police had said a shootout had ensued after they were met by a volley of fire from the mayor’s camp while they were implementing the search warrants.
President Rodrigo Duterte has stood by the policemen, who he said had the right to defend themselves, and could implement warrants any time of the day.