Court questions Nova Parojinog's unauthorized furlough in 2018

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court has ordered the warden of the Philippine National Police Custodial Center to explain why former Ozamiz City vice mayor Nova Princess Parojinog was allowed to leave detention for one day in 2018 without the permission of the court.

Branch 228 directed the warden and Parojinog's lawyers to show cause, within five days, why they should not be cited in contempt for Parojinog being allowed furlough on November 12, 2018 "without the proper authority from this Court."

Parojinog also did not seek permission from the court, where she is charged with possession of dangerous drugs, according to a December 17 order seen Monday.

But the same court in the same order allowed Parojinog to visit her detained brother, Reynaldo Parojinog, Jr., at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on December 23.

She was directed to shoulder all expenses for police escorts and security measures.

Parojinog had originally asked for furlough on December 24 or 25, which prosecutors opposed.

They said there was no valid ground for a Christmas furlough, that it would pose "high security risks and unquantifiable costs to the government," and amount to giving "preferential treatment" to the defendant.

They also claimed she did not observe proper procedure in requesting the furlough.

Another court, Branch 95, granted a similar motion by Parojinog.

President Rodrigo Duterte had accused the Parojinogs of involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Nova Princess and Reynaldo Jr. were arrested in a 2017 police raid that killed their father, Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, Sr., his wife, and 13 others.

Reynaldo Jr. was convicted of possession of illegal drugs in May last year. Nova Princess, on the other hand, is also facing a graft case that was ordered reinstated by the Supreme Court in March 2019. —NB, GMA News