(Eagle News) – Autopsy results done by the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory on the body of the slain Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr., showed he tested positive for gunpowder nitrates, indicating that a firearm near his body had been fired, police said.
PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos said that aside from the mayor, seven other people from the Parojinog’s camp were also positive for gunpowder nitrates.
The autopsy results were provided by the PNP Crime Laboratory region 10.
“Ibig sabihin sa firearm near their body or limb was fired kaya nagkaroon ng gunpowder burns,” he said referring to the autopsy results.
“Positive for paraffin test or gunpowder nitrate si Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog at iba pa nilang kasama. Si Mayor Parojinog, may two gunshot wounds sa chest and face,” Carlos said in a press conference.
Although results were not conclusive, Carlos said that this will help them in their investigation of the incident.
“It will show us that the firearms that were recovered in the premises were used and there was a gun battle, there was an exchange of gunfire and it will reinforce na meron ho talagang nagpalitan ng putok kasi nandun po sa loob ng premises ‘yung mga katawan na nag-positive sa gunpowder burns,” he said.
Autopsy results also showed that Mayor Parojinog was not shot at close range, contrary to a claim by an alleged survivor, alias “Cesar.”
Carlos said there were no traces of smudging on Parojinog’s body.
He said that the shot “was delivered at a distance.”
According to the alleged witness Cesar in a television interview, he survived the police raid by playing dead.
He said that he, together with Mayor Parojinog, the mayor’s wife Susan, his brother provincial board member Octavio, were rounded up in the mayor’s house, and that a grenade was thrown in their direction.
He claimed that the mayor was about to be shot when his brother Octavio stepped in, resulting in their deaths.
He added that the gun found near the mayor was merely planted.
Police did not conduct paraffin tests on the mayor’s wife and sister Mona anymore as there were no firearms found near their bodies.
Police maintained that the 15 from the Parojinog camp were slain in a shootout, while the camp and sympathizers of the slain mayor called for a probe of the incident suspecting there was a rubout.
The shootout allegedly took place while the policemen were serving search warrants on the residences of the Parojinog family around 2:30 a.m., Sunday. July 30.
The mayor’s wife Susan and his siblings Octavio and Mona died from blast wounds, according to the police.
While PNP spokesperson Carlos confirmed a grenade exploded in the Parojinog’s house, he said police are still investigating where the grenade came from.
“It has to be determined. The account of the police is it came from the security forces of the Parojinogs,” he said.