NBI summons Garma over PCSO slay case

MANILA, Philippines — Although in detention in the United States for using a canceled visa, former police colonel Royina Garma has been issued another subpoena by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as part of its investigation on the killing of another police officer and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

The NBI’s Organized and Transnational Crimes Division sent the subpoena to Garma’s residence in Davao City after she failed to respond to a previous subpoena issued on Nov. 8. Garma also served as general manager of the PCSO.

The Department of Justice, which has supervision over the NBI, is making arrangements with US authorities for Garma’s repatriation to the Philippines.

The NBI acknowledged it was unaware Garma had departed for California when it issued the first subpoena.

Before her flight to the US, Garma was being investigated by the quad committee of the House of Representatives for her role in the bloody drug war of former president Rodrigo Duterte. In her testimony before lawmakers, she revealed details about a reward system for policemen who killed drug suspects. She had also spent days under detention at the House premises after being cited in contempt for lying.

It was during one of the panel’s hearings that her possible involvement in the Barayuga murder in Mandaluyong in 2020 was unearthed.