Arrested Ozamiz vice mayor, brother transferred to Camp Crame

Ozamiz City Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez and brother Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. on Monday arrived in Manila, a day after their arrest during a deadly police raid.

Escorted by over 20 officers from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the vice mayor and her brother arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 at around 8:45 a.m.

The group left Ozamiz City on board a Philippine Air Lines flight around 6:45 a.m.

From the airport, the Parojinog siblings arrived at Camp Crame around 10:30 a.m. and brought straight to the Philippine National Police's Custodial Center.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Director Roel Obusan said the Parojinogs were brought to Manila because the search warrants used by Ozamiz policemen in the raid on Sunday were issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

Obusan said they are studying the possibility of asking the court to hear the charges against the Parojinogs in Metro Manila.

"Kung possible na malipat ang pagdinig dito na lang to save cost. Very expensive kapag doon at yung security nila," he said.

The Parojinog siblings were also accompanied by their lawyer, Atty. Lawrence Carim.

Carim told reporters at Camp Crame that he was barred by the police from entering the Custodial Center.

"There were several personnel who stopped me. I was with my clients from Ozamiz, I was with them on board the plane and on the way here but I was stopped from going inside," he said.

Fifteen people, including the siblings' father, Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. and mother, were killed in the predawn police raid.

Police said the raiding teams were met by a volley of gunfire while they were about to enter the Parojinogs' compound.

Misamis Occidental provincial director Senior Superintendent Jaysen de Guzman said the policemen only retaliated and the killing of the mayor and the others was not planned. —Amita Legaspi and Rie Takumi/ALG/KVD/KG, GMA News