PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday admitted getting death threats from members of the Parojinog clan whom he earlier accused of having ties with drug syndicates, as he raised the reward money on Ozamiz City Councilor Ricardo Parojinog by P5 million.
“Why should we be afraid with these idiots?” Duterte said in a speech before troops in Davao City. “When I became mayor and entered the presidency, I knew they would try to kill me. And may I say to them, I welcome it.”
The President, who earlier announced a P2-million bounty on each policeman involved in the killings allegedly ordered by the influential Parojinog clan in Ozamiz City, raised the reward for the head of Ricardo Parojinog, after authorities linked the clan to mass graves in the city.
“They ordered [the killing of] four policemen who became missing. One of them was found at a mass grave and through DNA testing, it was confirmed that he was one of the missing policemen,” Duterte said.
“So for Ardot, the remaining stupid guy, place him on your watchlist. I am increasing the reward money on his head by P5 million,” he said, referring to the councilor by his nickname.
Local officials had earlier found human bones in a mass grave created by a gang associated with the Parojinogs after the clan patriarch, Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr., was killed in an anti-drug raid by police on July 31.
The mayor was included in the list of politicians believed to have links with drug syndicates that was turned over to President Duterte last year. Also killed in the raid were the mayor’s wife Susan, his brother Board Member Octavio Parojinog Jr., his sister Mona and 12 others.
Police officials claimed that a shootout ensued after supporters of the Parojinog fired at the raiding team. The Parojinog camp has denied this and even called the law enforcement operation a “massacre.”