CHIEF Insp. Jovie Espenido, whose last two assignments involved the death of mayors tagged as narco-politicians, said Sunday he needs to take care of “unfinished business” in Ozamiz City before he can take on his next mission in Iloilo City.
In an interview on the ANC news channel, Espenido said he is coordinating with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the community to capture Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog, a member of the Parojinog clan.
“One of the Parojinog brothers with the name of alias ‘Ardot’ is still at large. We know already that this person is notorious because he is the one, in public knowledge, who is the leader of a certain Martilyo Gang,” he said.
He said that once they capture Parojinog, he will be allowed to transfer to his next assignment in Iloilo.
Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa earlier said Ozamiz still needs Espenido because they allegedly feel unsafe with Parojinog at large.
The councilor, brother of slain Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, remains at large following the bloody July 30 raid where the mayor and 15 others—including his wife—were killed.
President Rodrigo Duterte, meanwhile, said that Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, whom he also tagged as a narco-politician, has escaped to Japan.
Earlier, intelligence operatives said the mayor was not in his mansion because he left for Japan on Wednesday last week to attend a forum of CityNet, a regional network of cities and organizations focusing on sustainable urban development.
Duterte had ordered a lifestyle check on Mabilog, whom he believed had amassed his fortune through his involvement on the illegal drug trade, an allegation the mayor has denied.
It is unclear why Espenido’s transfer from Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental to Iloilo City did not push through, but Chief Supt. Cesar Biñas, director of the police regional office in Western Visayas, said his office respects the decision from national headquarters.
Espenido had been assigned to Albuera, Leyte and Ozamiz City where the two mayors, Rolando Espinosa, Sr. of Albuera and Reynaldo Parojinog were killed in a separate police operations.