Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 30) — Fifteen people including Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. were killed in an exchange of gunfire between the mayor's security team and police serving search warrants in the clan's properties Sunday morning, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

The shootout took place at several of the family's properties in Barangays Baybay San Roque and Baybay Santa Cruz around 2:30 a.m.

Authorities confirmed that among the dead were the Mayor's wife, Susan, his brother Board Member Octavio Parojinog Jr., and sister Mona. Three others were injured in the incident.

Northern Mindanao Police Chief Supt. Timoteo Pacleb said the Region 10 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) together with Misamis Occidental Police Provincial Office and Ozamiz City Police Station were approaching the mayor's residence when Parojinog's men fired shots at the officers and triggered a shootout between the two groups.

Aside from the mayor's house, police also raided Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog's house, two of the Parojinog clan's farms, and other properties, Pacleb said.

Seven were killed in the raid in Brgy. Baybay San Roque, while six were killed in Brgy. Baybay Sta. Cruz. A total of P1.4 million was retrieved from the raid.

Three rifle grenades, bags of suspected illegal drug shabu, a firearm, and cash were found inside the mayor's house, Ozamiz City stringer Thata Roxas from the Mindanaoan Broadcasting Channel told CNN Philippines.

Suspected shabu, an M-16 rifle, and cash were also found inside Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog's house.

Vice Mayor Parojinog, who survived the encounter, was arrested and is being held at the Ozamiz City Police Office.

The vice mayor and her brother Reynaldo "Dodo" Parojinog Jr. will be flown to Manila on Monday for inquest proceedings. Both were included in the search warrants.

Alleged links to drugs

In a press briefing on Sunday, Ozamiz City Police Chief Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido said that the Parojinogs were the source of illegal drugs in Ozamiz.

President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier tagged Parojinog and his daughter, Vice Mayor Nova among narcopoliticians operating in Mindanao. The two have denied the charges.

READ: Duterte's drug list: What we know so far

However, Espenido said the mayor had been sending surrender feelers before but did not follow through.

"Nag-ano siya sakin na mag-surrender pero kalaunan nung magsama na sila ni Vice Mayor di na natuloy," he said.

[Translation: He said he wanted to surrender, but later he and the Vice Mayor decided not to push through with it.]

He also denied the deaths were extrajudicial killings, saying firefight had ensued during the encounter.

"Makapagsabi ako na walang EJK dito kasi tingnan mo lang mga huli natin… Dito ang nangyari, ganito naman ang nawitness ninyo na may mga firefight na nangyari so hindi sa ganun," he said.

[Translation: I can say there is no EJK here because look at all of those we arrested... What happened here, as you witnessed, was there was a firefight so it's not like that.]

Parojinog is the third mayor in the President's list of "narco-politicians" to be killed in operations against the police.

In October, Datu Saudi Ampatuan Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom and nine others were killed in anti-drug operations conducted by the police in North Cotabato.

READ: Maguindanao mayor in Duterte drug list, 9 others killed in clash with police

More than a week later, Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa was killed in an alleged shootout in his cell at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City.

READ: Albuera Mayor Espinosa, 1 other inmate killed in jail cell shootout - CIDG

The Palace on Sunday reacted to news of the raid, saying it had vowed to intensify the government's campaign against illegal drugs.

"The Parojinogs, if you would recall, are included in PRRD's list of personalities involved in the illegal drug trade." Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

Lacson links clan to Kuratong Baleleng group

Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson also reacted to the deaths, saying "Whatever are the circumstances of the deaths, at least this time, the mayor and the others killed were not under detention in a government facility."

Lacson also tagged the clan as leaders of crime syndicate Kuratong Baleleng group, which was active during his years in the PNP.

"The founder of Kuratong Baleleng was Octavio Sr. alias Ongkoy, the late father of the slain mayor, Reynaldo and board member Octavio Jr.," he claimed.

"While the group started as an anti-communist group under the supervision of the military in that area, overtime they were reportedly transformed into a criminal group engaged in KFR (kidnap for ransom), robberies, extortion and other illegal activities," he added.

Drilon: Why are warrants served at before dawn?

Senator Drilon, meanwhile questioned why the search warrants for the properties were served before dawn, saying search warrants are generally served in the daytime.

"Why are search warrants, served before dawn as in the cases of Mayor Espinosa and now, Mayor Parojinog, result in the deaths of the persons being searched? Both are tagged as drug lords. Too much of a coincidence?" he said.

"Generally, a search warrant should be served in the daytime. While it maybe also be served anytime of the night, the issuing judge must so expressly specify in the search warrant (Sec 9, Rule 126, Rules of Court)," he added.

Journalist Thata Roxas from the Mindanaoan Broadcasting Channel and Davao City-based journalist Ben Tesiorna contributed to this story.

This story was updated on July 31, 2017.</s></s>A mayor, tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte earlier as head of a major drugs syndicate, and 13 others were killed in pre-dawn police raids yesterday.

Police said Reynaldo Parojinog, mayor of Ozamiz city, in southern Mindanao island, was killed when he and his men traded gunfire with a team sent to arrest him at around 2.30am.

"It was dark. There was a power outage. Then we were greeted by gunshots," senior superintendent Jason de Guzman, head of the Misamis Occidental provincial police, said in a radio interview.

Parojinog was gunned down, along with his wife Susan and brother Octavio, a provincial board member.

Also killed were Mr J. R. Millanar, a cameraman of Lumad TV, and Ozamiz information officer Mona Parojinog. Four of the other fatalities were members of a local auxiliary force, and it was unclear if they were killed while defending Parojinog.

Parojinog's daughter and vice-mayor Nova who was at the scene, was arrested and detained. Her brother Reynaldo Jr later surrendered.

Parojinog was the third mayor to be killed in Mr Duterte's list of "narco-politicians".

Last October, Mr Samsudin Dimaukom, mayor of the southern town of Saudi Ampatuan, was killed in a shoot-out at a police checkpoint on suspicion that he and his security personnel were transporting illegal drugs.

That same month, a police team killed Mr Rolando Espinosa, mayor of Albuera town, central Philippines, inside his jail cell. Circumstances surrounding his death led to a congressional probe into allegations he was summarily executed.

But Mr Duterte refused to accept results suggesting foul play, and even pushed to reinstate the head of the team that killed Mr Espinosa.

At least 3,000 have been killed, either in police raids or by unnamed vigilantes, in Mr Duterte's drug war. A case alleging "crimes against humanity" has been filed against Mr Duterte before an international court. The President has responded by hitting back at his critics, often with expletive-laden tirades.

The Parojinog family members were known thugs in Misamis Occidental in southern Philippines. In the 1970s, they were employed by political kingpins and businessmen as bodyguards and "muscle". The military also used them to fight Muslim secessionists.

In 1986, Parojinog's father, Octavio Sr, formed the core of an anti-communist group known as the "Kuratong Baleleng" (bamboo alarm bell).

The Kuratong Baleleng managed to drive out communist partisans from Ozamiz. But with arms and money supplied by the military, and under government protection, the group managed to quickly expand its illegal operations in the city. They extorted money from businessmen and engaged in robberies.

With its growing notoriety, the Kuratong Baleleng was ordered to disband in 1988. By then, it had more than 316 members and at least 65 assault rifles. But instead of disbanding, it broke into cells that spread out of Ozamiz.

Two of Octavio Sr's sons, Reynaldo and Renato, formed their own groups that concentrated on bank robberies in metropolitan Manila and other big cities in the Philippines.

The elder Parojinog, meanwhile, was left with Ozamiz city as his turf for extortion and gambling.

In 1990, a warrant of arrest was served on Octavio Sr for "illegal possession of explosives with destructive arson". He resisted arrest and drew out a hand grenade. He was shot and killed.

Renato took over leadership of the gang. He was killed by hired guns in 2002.

Leadership then passed on to Reynaldo, who took to politics as leverage to protect his family's illegal trade.

The Kuratong Baleleng came to the nation's attention in 1995 when 11 of its members were killed as they were being transported to jail in what was believed to be a rub-out.

Criminal charges were filed against the head of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission, Mr Panfilo Lacson, and 33 other police officers.

The charges were dismissed by a lower court. Mr Lacson is now a senator.</s>OZAMIZ City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. and six others were killed during a pre-dawn drug raid on Sunday by operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Northern Mindanao, according to a report from the Misamis Occidental Provincial Police Office.

The CIDG in Northern Mindanao implemented six search warrants to the elder Parojinog and to his daughter Ozamiz Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog, Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. and Provincial Board Member Ricardo Parojinog.

The warrant was served at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. While police personnel were serving the warrants to the Parajinogs, they were met with a volley of fire from the family’s security, prompting PNP operatives to fire back.

The ensuing gunfight resulted in the death of Mayor Parojinog and six others.

Seized from the Parojinog residence and farm were M79 rifles, bundled cash and “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride).

The vice mayor was arrested by authorities and brought to Misamis Occidental provincial police office.</s>One (white T-shirt) captured for links to illegal drug trade. Mayor of the Philippines’ Ozamiz city Reynaldo Parojinog was shot dead in a police raid on July 30 for illegal drug trade. (Photo: EPA/VNA)

– Mayor of the Philippines’ Ozamiz city on Mindanao island Reynaldo Parojinog, who was accused of being linked with the illegal drug trade, was shot dead in a police raid on July 30, Philippines authorities announced.He was among the politicians President Rodrigo Duterte publicly accused of links to illegal drugs. Parojinog’s wife and 10 others at his home were also killed during the raid.“Police were serving a search warrant when the security guards of the mayor fired at them, so our policemen retaliated,” spokesman Superintendent Lemuel Gonda told the press.Ammunition, weapons and illegal drugs were seized.Earlier, police had monitored Parojinog based on President Duterte’s remarks, who claimed Parojinog was closely linked to drug trafficking. Two other mayors were killed last year.Tackling crime, especially drug crime, has been the top priority of President Duterte. According to statistics, Philippine police have killed 9,000 people in the drug crackdown since Duterte assumed power in June, 2016.Recently, the Philippine president said that he wanted to hand control of the anti-drug campaign to the military so they can capture policemen with connections to the trade.-VNA</s>CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo “Aldong” Parojinog, and several others were killed during a simultaneous raid of the Parojinog residences and farm in Ozamiz City early Sunday morning, according to reports culled by The Manila Times.

Also killed were Parojinog’s wife, Susan; his brother, Octavio; two alleged crew of a local television station, police here said.

A separate report by the Misamis Occidental Provincial Police Office said 12, including the mayor, were killed.

Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog Eschavez, the mayor’s daughter; and his son, Reynaldo Jr., were also arrested, and were now in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) as authorities began processing the crime scene.

Supt. Lemuel Gonda, spokesman of the police regional command, said that armed with six search warrants, the provincial police office of Misamis Occidental, in coordination with the Ozamiz City police and the provincial CIDG conducted the raids 2:00 a.m. Sunday.

Gonda said the six search warrants were for Mayor Parojinog, Sr., Vice Mayor Parojinog Echavez, Reynaldo Jr., and Board Member Ricardo Parojinog.

He said that the raiding team was serving the search warrant to Mayor Parojinog in his residence in Barangay San Roque, Lawis, Ozamis City when the mayor’s security men opened fire, prompting the lawmen to retaliate.

Recovered from the scene were an M79 rifle in the house of Mayor Parojinog who was killed together with his wife and son during the exchange of gunfire.

The two television crewmen who were killed, along with the Parojinogs, were from “Lumad TV” and were identi-fied only as Lydia and JR. The circumstances of how they came to be at the home of the mayor were not clear.

Law enforcers who raided the house of former board member and incumbent city councilor “Ardot” Parojinog in Barangay Bagakay, recovered one shotgun, three rocket propelled grenade launchers, two hand grenades, 8 M79 ammunition and an M79 rifle.

Aside from the firearms, the raiding team reportedly seized “shabu,” (methamphetamine hydrochloride), and ille-gal drug paraphernalia in the city councilor’s house who was not around when the raid occurred.

Reports reaching The Manila Times said that four members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) were also killed during the Sunday dawn raid.

The BPAT fatalities were reportedly identified as Miguel Del Victoria, Daniel D. Vasquez, Nestor Cabalan and an un-identified BPAT member.

It was not clear whether the BPAT members were serving as guides of the raiding team or part of Parojinog’s se-curity personnel.

Gonda told The Manila Times that “as far as the body count, only seven were reported killed, including Mayor Pa-rojinog.”

He said that, as of posting time, the scene of the crime officials (SOCO) were still conducting an inventory of the “illegal items” found on the scene.

“I have no idea if the raiding team suffered casualties,” Gonda said, referring to the members of the provincial po-lice command, the city police office, and the CIDG.

Heavily armed law enforcers in Ozamiz City have cordoned off Barangay San Roque and warned residents against getting near the Parojinog residence.

In 2016, the Philippine National Police (PNP) withdrew Parojinog’s authority over the local police and raided his houses in search of alleged illegal drugs and firearms.

Parojinog denied any connection with the illegal drug trade and voluntarily turned over his firearms to the regional police command in Cagayan De Oro City for “safe keeping.”

Parojinog and the city government is in the thick of preparing for this year’s tourism month for the grand celebra-tion of the historic and miraculous “Birhen Sa Cotta,” (Virgin of Cotta) built in 1755 by Father Jose Ducos.

A resident told The Manila Times on Sunday, about the possible effects the killing of the city mayor, members of his family and the arrest of his daughter who was reportedly linked to one of the high-profile drug inmates at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Manila, may have on the city.

“Ozamiz City is now a dangerous place,” the resident said.

Parojinog is the second local official to be killed under the Duterte administration. The Parojinogs are included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of suspected narco-politicians. The mayor denied the allegations.

Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. of Albuera, Leyte, was killed in a raid by the CIDG in Eastern Visayas formerly headed by Supt. Marvin Marcos on suspicion that he was hiding illegal drugs inside his cell.

Espinosa, an alleged drug lord in Eastern Visayas, was set to name politicians and lawmen linked to the illegal drug trade before his death.

Marcos and his men were suspended pending results of an investigation into murder allegations.

Duterte, however, ordered the reinstatement of Marcos even before the investigation could be finished and the murder charges that were initially recommended for filing against the police officer and his men downgraded to homicide.

Marcos now heads the CIDG in Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General San-tos).</s>(4th UPDATE) The Parojinogs are among those included in President Rodrigo Duterte's drug list, but they deny the allegations

MANILA, Philippines (4th UPDATE) – Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 14 others, including his wife Susan, brother Octavio Jr, and sister Mona, were killed in a police raid early Sunday, July 30.

Members of the Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), together with the Misamis Occidental Police Provincial Office and the Ozamiz City Police Station raided the Parojinog residence at around 2:30 am.

The authorities had a search warrant for the mayor, his daughter Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog, and several other family members.

According to a police report, the serving personnel were met with a volley of fire from the Parojinogs' security personnel, prompting police to retaliate.

"Police were serving a search warrant when the security guards of the mayor fired at them so our policemen retaliated," police regional spokesman Superintendent Lemuel Gonda told Agence France-Presse.

However Jeffrey Ocang, an aide to the Parojinogs who are an influential political clan, denied there had been any exchange of gunfire and said the mayor's camp did not fire a shot.

Police said none of their officers were hurt apart from one who sustained a minor injury from an explosion.

Aside from the mayor and 3 of his family members, also killed were Miguel del Victoria, Nestor Cabalan, Daniel Vasquez, and one still unidentified person, who were all members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT). A certain Lydia and JR of Lumad TV were also among the dead.

The vice mayor and her brother Reynaldo Jr were arrested.

Cops also recovered grenades, ammunition, as well as illegal drugs in the raid, according to police provincial chief Jaysen de Guzman.

The raiding team also went to the residence of Parojinog's brother Ricardo in Barangay Bagakay, but he was not around. Seized from his home were assorted firearms, ammunition, alleged illegal drugs, and drug paraphernalia.

The Parojinogs are among those named by President Rodrigo Duterte in his list of local government offiicals allegedly involved in the drug trade. The Parojinogs deny the accusation.

Police said Sunday they had conducted surveillance on Parojinog based on the President's remarks.

"He has many security personnel who carry unlicensed firearms," regional police chief Timoteo Pacleb told radio dzMM.

Two other mayors Duterte mentioned in his so-called "drug list" were killed last year.

In November, Rolando Espinosa Sr, the mayor of Albuera, Leyte, was killed during a nighttime raid in a provincial jail.

Duterte had defended the officers involved in the raid and ordered their reinstatement, with critics saying the decision would worsen the nation's "culture of impunity."

In October, Samsudin Dimaukom, the mayor of the southern town of Saudi Ampatuan, was killed in a shootout at a police checkpoint on suspicion he and his security personnel were transporting illegal drugs, authorities said.

Commenting on Sunday's raid, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said: "The administration vowed to intensify the drug campaign." – with reports from Bobby Lagsa and Agence France-Presse / Rappler.com</s>The mayor of a southern Philippine city has become the third such official in less than a year to die in a shoot-out with police after being accused of having links to the illegal drug trade by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

Police reportedly shot Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, his wife, his brother, and several others in a series of coordinated pre-dawn raids on properties including the mayor's residence Sunday, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports. Authorities said 11 other people died in the raid, including Parojinog's wife, according to the BBC.

According to local authorities, officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant to Parojinog when they were "met with a volley of fire" from security guards at his compound. They said they recovered a cachet of rifles, cash and illegal drugs inside.

"The Parojinogs, if you would recall, are included in President Duterte's list of people involved in the illegal drug trade," presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said. The mayor's daughter Nova Echaves — who is also the vice mayor of Ozamiz City — was flown to Manila under police escort Monday.

The Parojinog family has repeatedly denied involvement in the drug trade, according to the Inquirer . A spokesman for the family disputed the police version of events Sunday and claimed the mayor's security team did not fire a shot.

Read More: A Bloody Drug War and an ISIS-Linked City Siege Mark Duterte’s First Year in Office

Earlier in July a team of 19 police officers that participated in the killing of another mayor, Rolando Espinosa, inside a jail cell last November were returned to duty . Their reinstatement came at the behest of Duterte and despite the country's National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) declaring the killing a "rubout" that could be part of a much larger conspiracy.</s>CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo “Aldong” Parojinog and six others were killed in a pre-dawn drug raid in his home on Sunday, according to police here.

Also killed were Parojing’s wife, Susan, and son, Reynaldo, Jr.

Ozamiz City Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog Eschavez, Parojinog’s daughter, was arrested and was now in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) as authorities began processing the crime scene.

The CIDG in Northern Mindanao implemented six search warrants to the elder Parojinog, to his daughter and son and to Provincial Board Member Ricardo Parojinog, according to an initial report from the Misamis Occidental Provincial Police Office.

The warrant was served at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. While police personnel were serving the warrants to the Parajinogs, they were met with a volley of fire from the family’s security, prompting PNP operatives to retaliate.

The ensuing gunfight resulted in the death of Mayor Parojinog, his wife and son and four others.

Seized from the Parojinog residence and farm were M79 rifles, bundled cash and “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride).</s>MANILA - A city mayor tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte earlier as head of a major drugs syndicate and 11 others were killed in a police raid early on Sunday (July 30) morning.

Police said Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, who turned an anti-communist militia into a big-time syndicate in the 1980s, was killed when a team sent to arrest him "was met with a volley of fire" at around 2.30am, on Sunday.

Also killed was his wife Susan, provincial board member Ricardo Parojinog, and nine others.

His daughter and vice-mayor, Nova, was arrested during the raid. She was said to have a relationship with a prison inmate whom Mr Duterte tagged as belonging to a triad running the illegal drugs trade in the country.

Parojinog was the second mayor to be killed in Mr Duterte's list of "narco-politicians".

A raiding team killed Mayor Rolando Espinosa, of Albuera town, in central Philippines, inside his jail cell in October last year (2016). Circumstances surrounding his death led to congressional investigations into allegations he was summarily executed.

Parojinog was the latest "drug lord" to fall in Mr Duterte's controversial war on the narcotics trade.

In September last year (2006), unnamed assassins killed another suspected drug lord on Mr Duterte's list, Melvin Odicta, and his wife as they disembarked from a ferry.

At least 3,000 more have been killed in Mr Duterte's drug war, prompting charges of a "crime against humanity" before an international court against the tough-talking Philippine leader.

Mr Duterte responded by hitting back at his critics, including the United States, European Union and human rights groups, often with expletives-laden tirades.

He refused to accept results of an investigation into the killing of Espinosa suggesting foul play, and caused the leader of the team that killed Espinosa to be reinstated as a police officer.

Mr Duterte had said he wanted to abolish the Commission on Human Rights, and told government-investigating bodies they would have to go through him first before any policeman or soldier accused of human rights abuses could be probed.

The Parojinog family were known thugs in Misamis Occidental province in southern Philippines.

In the 1970s, they were employed by political kingpins and businessmen as bodyguards and enforcers. The military also use them to fight Muslim secessionists.

In 1986, Parojinog's father, Octavio, formed the core of an anti-communist group known as the "Kuratong Baleleng" (bamboo alarm bell).

The group managed to drive out communist partisans from Ozamiz City. But with arms and money supplied by the military, and under government protection, the family managed to quickly expand their criminal enterprise.

They extorted money from Chinese businessmen, engaged in robberies, and targeted tourists.

With its growing notoriety, the Kuratong Baleleng was ordered to disband in 1988. By then, it had over 316 members and at least 65 assault rifles.

Instead of disbanding, the group broke into cells that spread out of Ozamiz City.

Octavio's two sons, Reynaldo and Renato, formed their own groups that concentrated on bank robberies in metropolitan Manila and other big cities in the Philippines.

The elder Parojinog, meanwhile, was left with Ozamiz City as his turf for extortion and gambling. In 1990, a warrant of arrest was served against Octavio Parojinog for "illegal possession of explosives with destructive arson." He resisted arrest and drew out a hand grenade. He was shot and killed.

Renato took over leadership of the gang. He was killed by hired guns in 2002.

Leadership then passed on to Reynaldo, who took to politics as a leverage to protect his family's illegal trade.

The Kuratong Baleleng came to the nation's consciousness in 1995 when 11 of its members were killed as they were being transported to jail in what was believed to be a rubout.

Criminal charges were filed against the head of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission, Mr Panfilo Lacson, and 33 other police officers.

The charges were dismissed by a lower court. Mr Lacson is now a senator.
Sixteen people, including Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. and his wife, are killed in a police drug raid in Ozamiz City in the province of Misamis Occidental. The Parojinog family had been previously identified with their ties to the illegal drug trade, as well as the organized crime group Kuratong Baleleng.