Ozamiz Mayor Parojinog, 7 others test positive for gunpowder —PNP

Deceased Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog has tested positive for gunpowder nitrate, Philippine National Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said Thursday.

Carlos, quoting a partial report from the Crime Laboratory Region 10, said Parojinog sustained two gunshot wounds on his face and chest.

“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,” he said in a press conference.

He said aside from the mayor, seven of the 15 fatalities during the predawn raid also yielded positive results in the paraffin test.

Carlos said testing positive for paraffin means that a gun near a person’s hand has been fired.

“Ibig sabihin sa firearm near their body or limb was fired kaya nagkaroon ng gunpowder burns,” he said.

But Carlos admitted that the result of the paraffin test is not conclusive although it will help the investigators determine if a firearm was used.

“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.

Fatalities

A total of 15 people were killed at the site of the clash, which took place while policemen were serving search warrants on homes belonging to the Parojinog family around 2:30 a.m., Sunday.

A 16th fatality, Daryl Parojinog, was recorded in the hospital.

Among those killed were the Ozamiz City mayor; his wife, Susan; and his brother, Provincial Board Member Octavio Parojinog; and sister Mona.

Of the 15 bodies on the site, only eight were subjected to autopsy.

“There were seven that were not autopsied because nag-waive yung family. They did not want the body of the relative to be autopsied anymore by the Crime Lab,” said Carlos.

He said the names of those not subjected to autopsy were not included in the report given to him.

He said Susan and Mona were not subjected to paraffin because no firearms were found near their bodies.

He said the two women and Octavio sustained blast injuries while the other fatalities had blast and gunshot wounds on their neck, chest, and back.

Asked if the fatalities were shot at close range, Carlos replied in the negative.

“Wala namang mention (sa report) na meron siyang smudging so it was delivered at a distance,”  he said.

Misamis Occidental provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Jaysen de Guzman earlier said the police officers were met by a volley of gunfire as they were about to enter the Parojinogs' compound.

He said that after an almost two-hour clash, the police officers were able to breach the Parojinogs' houses, but were still met by resistance from the mayor's group.

Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog and her brother, Reynaldo Jr., were among those arrested. They were brought to Camp Crame Monday morning and underwent inquest proceedings Tuesday noon. — MDM/RSJ, GMA News