Palace welcomes arrest of Ozamiz City councilor Ricardo Parojinog

Malacañang on Thursday welcomed the arrest of Ozamiz City Councilor Ricardo "Ardot" Parojinog nearly a year after he went into hiding following the bloody police raid that left his brother and 15 others dead.

Parojinog, brother of slain mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr, was collared on Wednesday night in Taiwan, ending a police manhunt that began soon after the raid on the residences of the Parojinogs on July 30 last year.

"Ito po'y mabuting balita dahil unang una, ano pong ginagawa at nagtatago sa Taiwan kung siya ay walang batas na nilabag. Sabi po nga nila, flight is evidence of guilt," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said at a news conference in Marawi City.

Roque assured the residents of Ozamiz, where the Parojinogs held power for around two decades, that the councilor will face the bar of justice.

"Sisiguraduhin naman po natin na magkakaroon ng katarungan, kung merong nalabag na batas itong si Councilor Parojinog, siya po ay iimbestigahan, ililitis at paparusahan para sa krimen na 'yan," the Palace official said.

Parojinog was not around when the police conducted the raid on his residence, one of the six dwellings subject of the search warrants issued by Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Policemen, however, seized shabu and drug paraphernalia, a shotgun, three rocket propelled-grenade launchers, two hand grenades, and M79 ammunition from the councilor's house.

Earlier this month, authorities recovered various high-powered firearms, including two anti-tank rockets, during a raid on Parojinog's closed business properties.

President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier offered a P5-million bounty for Parojinog's capture. — MDM, GMA News