OZAMIZ CITY— More than 300
residents of this city gathered yesterday, Aug. 6, 7:00 in the morning in front
of the City Hall and held a prayer rally calling for sustained unity and change.
The original venue of the community
prayer held a week after the bloody raid which killed Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog
Sr., his wife and 14 of their relatives and supporters was supposedly listed inside
the Cotta Shrine but a notice was given that it is being moved to the City Hall
by Saturday afternoon.
The prayer rally was joined by
different religious groups, some of whom carried banners expressing support for
the police and military and thanking them with the words “Justice has been
served.”
Others in attendance told The
Philippine Preview their presence is a manifestation of support to Police Chief
Sr/Insp. Jovie Espenido and his men who led the biggest and most successful
anti-drug raid in the history of the said city.
The rare scene was led by Pastor
Nathaniel Dinoro, who expressed his pleasure to the downfall of the Parojinogs,
a practice that is extremely dangerous during the past years.
Dinoro left the city after losing a
seat in the council during the 2013 polls and after receiving threats for
publicly speaking his views against the Parojinog family.
In his message, Dinoro said:
"Ang away ania na karon diri sa Ozamiz So it is time for us to hold hands
and fight against the evil of our society," quoting the great Irish
political philosopher Edmund Burke who said, "The only thing necessary for
the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Of the locals standing and crowding
outdoor who wore white t-shirts are some of the members of the so-called ‘Barog
Ozamiz,’ an anti-Parojinog public discussion group in Facebook.
“Nagpasalamat sila na pwede na
silang magpahayag kung ano ang tama. Noon puro daw cla ‘yes, yes’ dahil natatakot
silang patayin o mamatay,” a member told The Philippine Preview.
“Wala ko ga-expect na mahitabo na
nga rally. Gamay ra tuod pero mao na na ang sinugdanan sa pag tindog sa mga
tawo dire against sa mga druglords. Daghan gusto mukuyog pero sama nako, naa pa
gyud kahadlok. Pero sa gipakita sa mga ni attend karon, for sure daghan pod na
inspire nila ug sa sunod na pagtapok, daghan na pod manguyog. Ang uban wala pod
kabalo na naa diay rally nga paga himuon,” said another. (MICHAEL MEDINA)
