PNP to reopen 2020 slay case of PCSO official

Murdered PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga—PCSO                    Royina Garma —House of Representatives

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police will reopen its investigation into the murder of retired general and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga in 2020 as new details came to light implicating high-ranking officials in the killing.

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil issued the statement on Sunday after Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group alleged last week during a House committee investigation on extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration that National Police Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo and former PCSO General Manager Royina Garma—both retired police colonels—were the brains behind Barayuga’s murder.

READ: Napolcom’s Leonardo, Garma tagged in killing of PCSO’s Barayuga

“This revelation demands a thorough reinvestigation of the murder. No one is above the law, and we will seek justice for retired Gen. Wesley Barayuga and his family with the full resources of the PNP,” Marbil said in a statement.

The PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), under the new leadership of Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III was tasked with leading the full investigation.

“The CIDG will reevaluate all evidence in light of the new testimony and work closely with other relevant agencies to ensure that the process is thorough, impartial, and transparent,” he said.

“We are committed to uncovering the truth, regardless of the position or power of those involved. The public can rest assured that we will hold those responsible accountable,” Marbil added.

On his way home on July 30, 2020, a gunman on a motorcycle shot and killed Barayuga and wounded his driver Jun Gunao in broad daylight in Mandaluyong City. The case remains unsolved.

Mendoza told lawmakers on Friday that he was ordered to arrange the assassination of Barayuga, allegedly by Garma and Leonardo for P300,000.

Testifying as a surprise witness in the ongoing inquiry by the House quad committee, Mendoza claimed the alleged hit job ordered by Garma was relayed to him by Leonardo.

Garma, who had earlier been implicated in the killing of three Chinese drug lords serving time at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, and Leonardo, who was then chief of the CIDG in Davao region, had denied they were involved in the killing of Barayuga.

Mendoza said that between October 2019 and July 2020, Leonardo called him up for a “special operation” against Barayuga, who was supposedly tagged as a “high-value” target in the drug war.

In response to a question by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, Mendoza said that he understood special operation to mean “to kill” and felt coerced to go along with the plot because he knew that the two had the strong backing of then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

Both Garma, a former Cebu City police chief, and Leonardo were believed to be close to Duterte, having served in Davao City while he was mayor.

They were also implicated as key figures in the Davao Death Squad by confessed hit man Arturo Lascañas in an affidavit submitted to the International Criminal Court.

How it happened

Mendoza claimed that he hesitated getting involved in the “project” because the target was a high government official, but was pressured into going along with the plot because Leonardo told him the order came directly from Garma.

He said Leonardo gave him P300,000 as payment for the hit job.

One of his informants, Nelson Mariano, who found a gunman, said he received P40,000, while Mendoza got P60,000 and the rest of the money went to the hit man they identified only as “Loloy.”

Mendoza said that Garma’s personal driver and bodyguard, identified only as “Toks,” was also involved in the plot, providing information about Barayuga’s movements on the day of the attack.

Mendoza alleged that Garma had assigned a PCSO vehicle purportedly for Barayuga’s daily use, but it was really intended to make it easier for the hit man to follow him around as the official just commuted to work daily and was around many other people who might get hit if he was shot.

Garma and Leonardo denied Mendoza’s allegations, saying this was the first time they had met the police officer.

Corruption

A month after Barayuga, a lawyer and a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Matikas” Class of 1983, was killed, then National Capital Region Police Office chief, Police Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas claimed that Barayuga was on Duterte’s “narcolist.”

This was refuted by Barayuga’s PMA classmates, who include National Security Adviser Eduardo Año.

Surigao del Norte Rep. and quad committee lead chairperson Robert Ace Barbers has thanked the PMA Matikas class for their full trust and confidence in the panel’s probe.

He assured them that the committee would get to the bottom of their mistah’s killing.

Barayuga’s PMA classmates issued a statement on Sunday saying that the inquiry gave them hope that their mistah’s murderers, including the mastermind, would finally be brought to justice after four years.

Retired Air Force Col. Enrique dela Cruz, PMA 1983 class president, lauded the quad committee’s “persistent efforts and incisive line of questioning” which have “given light and hope” for the resolution of Barayuga’s killing. —with a report from Jeannette I. Andrade