Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. gets life term for drugs

MANILA, Philippines — A Quezon City court yesterday sentenced a son and namesake of slain Ozamis City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog to life imprisonment for illegal possession of drugs.

The conviction stemmed from the discovery of 116.9 grams of shabu by police during a raid on Parojinog’s house in Barangay Sta. Cruz on July 30, 2017.

The shabu was found inside a sling bag hidden in a cabinet, police said.

Presiding Judge Nadine Jessida Corazon Fama of the Regional Trial Court Branch 79 also fined Parojinog P500,000.

Parojinog was wearing a bullet-proof vest during the promulgation at around 10 a.m. After the promulgation, he was sent back to the Metro Manila Jail Annex at  Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City pending a commitment order from the court.

In convicting Parojinog, the court said he failed to present convincing evidence that the seized drugs were planted.

“It must be emphasized that the finding of illicit drugs and paraphernalia in a house or building owned or occupied by a particular person raises the presumption of knowledge and possession thereof which, standing alone, is sufficient to convict,” the decision read.

The raid that led to Parojinog’s arrest followed a series of anti-drug operations against his family that led to the death of his mayor-father, his mother Susan, brother Octavio and at least 10 others at their compound.

Parojinog and his sister, Nova Princess, are still facing charges of illegal possession of firearms, explosives and drugs before different courts in Quezon City.

The Supreme Court allowed the transfer of the cases to Quezon City courts upon the request of the Department of Justice, which cited the family’s influence in Ozamis City.

P/Maj. Jovie Espenido, former Ozamis City police chief who led the July 2017 operations, said the conviction was proof that their operations against the family were legitimate.

Espenido said he was overjoyed upon learning of the conviction and thanked Fama for deciding swiftly on the case.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera said the conviction should underpin the need for a more vigorous drug war that does not discriminate between drug lords and small peddlers.

“This shows that whether a big-time drug lord or small time peddler, we do not discriminate. We will prosecute you,” he said.