PNP, NBI to conduct joint probe into PCSO exec slay

Wesley Barayuga —PCSO PHOTO                                                  Royina Garma —HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will be conducting a joint probe into the 2020 killing of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

“This is a good development, welcome development on the part of the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) because probably the NBI has some information of their own,” PNP spokesperson BGen. Jean Fajardo said in Filipino on Thursday.

“If we join together our information and evidence on hand, we can reinforce the case we have against the personalities mentioned by Lt. Col. Santi Mendoza,” she added.

PNP reopened the cold case on September 29, following the testimony from Mendoza at the House of Representatives’ quad committee hearing, where he alleged that then PCSO general manager Royina Garma and National Police Commission Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo ordered him to kill Barayuga.

READ: PNP to reopen 2020 slay case of PCSO official

The NBI followed suit, saying on October 3 that it reopened its investigation.

READ: NBI also reopens 2020 Barayuga murder case

When asked how the joint investigation will affect complaints the PNP already prepared, Fajardo said “the PNP is ready to share that case folder with the NBI in case they have additional evidence.”

On Tuesday, the PNP said it was ready to file complaints against Garma, Leonardo, and Mendoza for the murder of Barayuga and the frustrated murder of Barayuga’s driver, who survived the attempt.

READ: Garma, Leonardo to face murder raps in Barayuga slay case – PNP

Also named in the complaints were police officer Nelson Mariano, who was tasked with hiring a hitman; SSgt. Jeremy Causapin alias “Talks”, who supposedly gave Mariano P300,000 for the job said to be from Garma; and an unnamed gunman.

Fajardo added that the PNP was waiting for Barayuga’s wife to review and sign the affidavit before formally filing the complaints.

Barayuga’s case is among high-profile cases brought up during the House quad comm’s probe into the bloody war on drugs under President Rodrigo Duterte.

The former PCSO board secretary and retired general was shot dead by an unidentified assailant on a motorcycle on July 30, 2022 in his vehicle stuck in traffic on his way home from the PCSO headquarters in Mandaluyong City.