From the
ashes of its dirt-laden image, Ozamiz City is rising loud and proud with its
latest crusade to crush bad elements in its territory.
On that
evening, the city government has declared the what it’s called Alsa Ozamiz, a
local movement to rally all Ozamiznons to shrug off all bad elements that has
been corrupting and ravaging the once stellar status of the city.
As
described by the incumbent Mayor Reynaldo “Aldong” Parojinog, Sr., Alsa Ozamiz
bears the same ideals just like his grandfather’s first and original Alsa
Ozamiz movement back in the 50s to fight government insurgencies… except that
this time, the fight is not against rebels, but to a more profound cause — that
is to fight all negative elements in the Ozamiznon society.
You name
it, it’s on the list — from illegal gambling down to illegal fishing and the
like, with illegal drugs on top of the list… the city government led by Mayor
Aldong are all down to tap it off their city.
OZAMIZ
CITY HALL CRIES FOUL AGAINST ALL THE DRUGS ALLEGATIONS
In a
press conference held prior to the evening’s Alza Ozamiz event, the city’s
father-daughter tandem composed of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, Sr. and Vice Mayor
Nova Princess Parojinog vented out their sentiments about the latest
accusations to them.
Vice
Mayor Parojinog cries foul on their critics’ claim that the city’s drugs
situation is “rampant”.
Vice Mayor Nova Princess said all these allegations are
really unfair for all the drugs initiatives that they have implemented in the
city long before DU30 came in to power.
“Dito sa
Ozamiz City nuon pa man matagal na kaming nakipag-gyera sa ilegal na droga,”
said Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, Sr.
Mayor
Parojinog, Sr. noted that they’ve been having this extensive fight against
drugs however sadly, all these initiatives all went down the drain for nothing
because apparently, their accomplishments just went under the radar of the then
police chiefs for some unknown reasons.
On the
press meeting, the Parojinogs presented a really thick book of the anti-drugs
operations report that has been taking place since 2013, long before President
Duterte’s massive national anti-drug campaign.
Vice
Mayor Parojinog noted that the book contains all the reports on the drug raids,
drugs suspects arrests and illegal drugs confiscations undertaken by the city
hall with the PNP since 2013.
“Nuong
kasagsagan ng campaign ko against drugs, madaming nagalit sa akin… kahit mga
kamag anak ko,” added Mayor Aldong.
At one
point the Mayor was teary-eyed as he said, “Taga-rito kami sa Ozamiz tapos
sisirain namin ang lugar namin?”.
Just recently, Mayor Parojinog, Sr. had a
meeting with President Duterte who also met other city and town mayors in
Malacanang Palace last January 11.
Parojinog, Sr. described his meeting with
Duterte in Manila as cordial, with the Chief Executive saying that the earlier
pronouncement of Parojinog’s involvement in drugs was based on report from
regional intelligence units.
“Mas
lalo kaming maninindigan sa aming laban sa droga bilang suporta sa Pangulong
Duterte na handang itaya ang buhay para sa bayan,” stated Mayor Aldong in front
of the media team.
ON ALSA
OZAMIZ BASHERS
Of
course, being included on DU30’s narco-politician list (from which Mayor
Aldong’s case is currently under revalidation) and having this aggressive
campaign called “Alsa Ozamiz”, Mayor Aldong Parojinog’s detractors would
definitely raise their eyebrows with the coincidence.
Additionally,
there were social media buzz that Alsa Ozamiz is the Parojinog’s strategy to
sack the newly-assigned city police chief Espinido.
However,
the courageous mayor gleefully revealed that Alsa Ozamiz is actually a joint
effort of the PNP and the city hall. In fact, during the Alsa Ozamiz gathering
that night at the Cotta, although not present, the new city police chief had a
long VTR message for all Ozamiznons that affirms his support on this anti-drugs
initiatives by Mayor Aldong and VM Nova Princess (and the rest of the
Ozamiz
City Hall).
ALSA OZAMIZ
Later
that Wednesday evening Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, Sr. led the formal launch of
the ‘Alsa Ozamiz’ anti-crime program. ICMY, the Alsa Ozamiz program is an
extensive program of the Ozamiz city hall that pushes civilian-barangay
partnerships with government and non-government agencies to prevent “all that
is illegal” in the city i.e. illegal drugs, gambling, fishing, logging, etc…
With
illegal drugs on top of their list, the leading city officials stated that they
have standby programs to support this city anti-drugs campaign. This includes
the proposed private partnership with rehabs as part of the follow-up
initiatives for “tokhang responders” and also the potent “reward system” when
it comes to intelligence gathering, among others.
VIDEOKARERA
MACHINES DESTROYED…
On the
eve of the Alsa Ozamiz declaration and right after the press briefing, some 560
videokarera machines that were voluntarily surrendered to brgy captains were
crushed altogether by a payloader right in front of the city hall grounds.
These videokarera and fruitgame machines are allegedly being used habitually by
drug addicts as a fond pastime most notably when they are high on drugs.
