Video taken by Parojinog kid shows evidence of police abuse  –lawyer

A video taken during the bloody predawn police raid on the Parojinog compound in Ozamiz City last Sunday will be used as evidence by the family to prove police abuse, their lawyer said Friday.

A report by GMA News' Emil Sumangil said the video, which was posted online, was taken by Sofia Naja Parojinog, the teenage daughter of Ozamiz Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog, using her smartphone.

In the video, Sofia was seen asking her companions, which included an infant, to listen to her mother as commotion was heard outside their room.

"May pulis daw diyan. Pakinggan niyo si mommy, pakinggan niyo si mommy," she was heard saying.

A woman's voice was heard saying that evidence are surely being planted.

Sixteen people were killed in the raid, including Nova's father Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and his wife Susan, as well as two of his siblings. Nova and her brother Reynaldo Jr., meanwhile, were arrested.

Police claimed Mayor Parojinog's bodyguards started the gunfight.

Mayor Parojinog was among the politicians President Rodrigo Duterte has linked to illegal drugs and the third mayor to be killed in a police anti-drug operation under the current administration.

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, lead counsel of the Parojinog family, said they will use Sofia's video as evidence to bolster their claim that there was overkill on the part of the raiding team.

"Grinupo sila (Parojinog family). Ang sabi, may nagsabi daw sa kanya (Vice Mayor Nova) na ganun din ang ginawa sa bahay ni mayor, 'yung ama niya, at inilagay sa isang lugar at pinasabugan ng granada. Sila, hinagisan sila ng granada pero hindi sumabog," Topacio said.

He said Sofia's video would show how the police threatened the Parojinog family and how evidence of their alleged illegal activities were planted.

"Para patunayan na 'yun nga, may threat sa buhay nila noong time na 'yun at nagpa-plant ng evidence [yung mga pulis]," Topacio said.

Despite the police's claim that it was Mayor Parojinog's men who fired the first shot, Topacio said his clients had no prior warning to the raid and had no means to defend themselves.

"Pano ka naman lalaban kung yantok ang dala mo kontra automatic rifles? Mapapagtibay yung sinasabi ng mga pamilya Parojinog na wala talagang labanan at ito'y rubout," Topacio said.

Meanwhile, GMA News showed a picture of the piece of paper that allegedly contained accounts of the family's illegal drug trade, which Vice Mayor Parojinog attempted to put in her mouth during the raid.

The paper revealed a supposed breakdown of expenses that accumulated to P1,466,680, with computations for items like "CDO-Renz Megares", "van rental", 2 DJs, a fireworks display, and "food and hotel accommodations."

Monetary amounts for "COA Dress", "department heads", "expenses" and "additional food" or packed lunch for 110 students for each five schools were also seen on the paper which Topacio said "does not mean anything."

"It does not mean anything. Kasi may mga bagay doon na computation, katulad nung sinasabing maraming pera. Ang pera naman itself is not contraband," he said. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News