NBI to Interpol: Help us bring back Garma
NBI officials, led by Director Jaime Santiago (center, seated), present former police officers Santie Mendoza and Nelson Mariano. Both confessed their role in the 2020 killing of former PCSO Wesley Barayuga. —PHOTO BY KATHLEEN DE VILLA/INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday said it would be seeking the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to compel former Police Colonel and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma to come home and face charges of murder and frustrated murder over the 2020 killing of former PCSO Wesley Barayuga.
According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, the investigating team has already reached out to Interpol agents in the country, who would relay the matter to counterparts in Malaysia, where Garma is presumed to be staying since leaving the Philippines on Sept. 7.
“We will coordinate with Interpol. And Malaysia has been cooperative with us… we would let them know that Garma has a standing warrant of arrest against her,” Santiago told a news briefing.
He noted that the Interpol agents in the Philippines would be the ones who would coordinate with various law enforcement agencies, including Interpol.
Branch 279 of Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court has issued a warrant of arrest against Garma, former National Police Commission (Napolcom) chair Edilberto Leonardo, Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza as well as former police officers Nelson Mariano and Jeremie Causapin for the killing of Barayuga on July 30, 2020.
READ: Garma, 4 others face arrest over ex-PCSO exec slay
On Wednesday, NBI presented Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza and former police officer Nelson Mariano, who are both in custody of the bureau after they surrendered to authorities last month and confessed their role in the killing.
The two served as “middlemen” between the hitman and implicated Garma and former National Police Commission (Napolcom) chair Edilberto Leonardo as masterminds, NBI said. /cb
