THE Philippine National Police (PNP) is set to file murder charges against several individuals, including retired Police Colonel Royina Garma and resigned Napolcom commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, in relation to the killing of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
In a press conference on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said that aside from Garma and Leonardo, also identified as respondents of the complaint of murder and frustrated murder were Police Lieutenant Colonel Santie Mendoza, dismissed police officer Nelson Mariano, Awol Police Sergeant Jeremy Kausapin alias Toks, and one John Doe who allegedly served as the gunman.
“As of now, naka-ready ‘yung case folder for filing. Hinihintay na lamang ‘yung maybahay ni Gen. Wesley Barayuga para maisampa natin formally ‘yung complaint. So kumpleto na ‘yung folder,” she said.
(As of now, the case folder is ready for filing. We are just waiting for Gen. Wesley Barayuga’s wife so that we can formally file the complaint. So the folder is complete.)
Barayuga was gunned down while on his way home from the PCSO office in Mandaluyong in broad daylight on July 30, 2020.
His driver was wounded but survived the attack carried out by a lone motorcycle-riding suspect.
The investigation on the case has reached nowhere not until Mendoza revealed during a House quad-committee probe into alleged extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration the involvement of Garma and Leonardo.
Mendoza said Leonardo contacted him sometime in 2019, informing him of a “special project involving a high-value individual who is believed to be involved in illegal drugs.”
He said Garma was providing intelligence for the operation especially on Barayuga’s whereabouts especially as she was then the PCSO general manager.
Mendoza said he tapped Kausapin and Mariano to contract a gunman who was paid P300,000 in exchange for Barayuga's execution. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)