The director of the Ozamiz City police said they purposefully "paralyzed" the security cameras in the homes of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and his relatives for the safety of the civilians accompanying them.

"Kasama namin palagi ang confidential agents namin kasi hindi namin alam o kilala yung lahat na mga tao doon kung sino," Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido said in a briefing on Sunday.

"So iyon ang pinunterya talaga namin, una, iyong CCTV...for security, na hindi ma-identify iyong mga alpha namin na kasama na magturo, lalo na iyong mga witnesses."

Espenido added that witnesses are afraid of repercussions if they are captured on camera aiding the police.

"So 'yun for security reason, kaya talaga i-paralyze natin iyong mga CCTV, for that reason. The best thing we do is hindi natin minamane-obra iyong mga CCTV na sirain, or i-delete," the police chief added.

The City's legal officer told dzBB in an earlier interview that the security cameras installed at the Parojinogs' residences had been disconnected prior to the supposed encounter.

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The police arrived at the Parojinog compound in the early hours of Sunday morning with warrants to search the houses for loose firearms. According to the police, they were met with resistance from the mayor's side, and a two-hour clash ensued.

Parojinog, his wife Susan, his brother Provincial Board Member Octavio Parojinog and 12 others were killed in the encounter.

Parojinog's children Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez and Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. were arrested.

The Parojinogs were listed as high-profile persons included in President Duterte's narco-list and were allegedly threatened by police months prior to the encounter. — Margaret Claire Layug/BM, GMA News