Former Ozamiz City councilor Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog—brother of slain city mayor Reynaldo Sr. who was among the politicians linked to the illegal drug trade by President Rodrigo Duterte—was found dead inside his cell Friday morning.
Ardot is the uncle of former vice mayor Nova Parojinog Echavez, who is facing charges for illegal possession of firearms and dangerous drugs, and Reynaldo Jr., who was earlier sentenced to life imprisonment for drug possession.
Philippine National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said Parojinog was found dead at 6 a.m. on Friday inside the detention cell of the Ozamis Police Station, with no signs of violence noted.
Banac said Parojinog was supposed to attend a hearing at the Ozamis City Regional Trial Court on Friday, and his travel was covered by a court order.
He said PNP chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan on Friday ordered an investigation into the sudden death of Parojinog.
Cascolan also directed Police Regional Office Director Rolando Anduyan to place the Ozamis Police chief and all night-shift duty personnel under restrictive custody to be available for investigation.
Cascolan also ordered the PNP Custodial Center security team under Lt. Col. Jigger Noceda to be placed under investigation to determine their liabilities.
The Parojinogs have been tagged by President Duterte as among the so-called narco-politicians managing illegal drug operations in Mindanao.
Ardot was not home when police raided their clan’s houses in July 2017. The operation resulted in the death of 15 people.
A year later, Ardot was deported to the Philippines by the Taiwanese government.