PNP chief reopens probe into ex-PCSO exec’s murder

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil yesterday ordered the immediate reopening of the investigation into the 2020 murder of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary and retired PNP general Wesley Barayuga.

In a statement, Marbil called for a comprehensive reinvestigation in light of the testimony made by Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza during a House quad committee hearing last Sept. 27, claiming that Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo of the National Police Commission and former PCSO general manager and former police colonel Royina Garma orchestrated the murder.

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

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will lead the reinvestigation, reviewing all evidence and collaborating with other agencies to ensure impartiality and transparency.

“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 said.

Mendoza testified before the quad committee that Garma was the brains behind the murder, and also tagged Leonardo as the one who instructed him in February 2020 to get rid of Barayuga, who turned out to have a spat with Garma.

According to Mendoza, Garma’s order to kill Barayuga was relayed through Leonardo.

Mendoza, a former member of the PNP’s Drug Enforcement Group, admitted that Leonardo called him for a “special operation” against Barayuga, who had been accused of being a “high-value” target in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.

Mendoza also disclosed Garma gave Leonardo P300,000 for the job, which he, in turn, gave to an alleged gunman – a certain “Toks” – and police corporal Nelson Mariano. He said he also received P40,000 as “part of payment” for recruiting the alleged assassins.

Barayuga was shot four times and killed in July 2020 at close range by one of two gunmen aboard separate motorbikes at the corner of Calbayog and Malinaw streets in Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong.

PMA class of ’83 praises quad committee

Members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Matikas Class of 1983 extended their gratitude to the House quad committee for finally resolving the July 2020 murder of their classmate Barayuga.

“The Class of 1983 extends our deep gratitude and appreciation to the honorable members of the quad committee of the House, for the inquiry that finally identified the alleged suspects in the assassination of our dear mistah Barayuga,” the classmates declared.

Retired Air Force colonel Enrique dela Cruz, PMA Class 1983 president, said the quad committee’s persistent efforts and incisive line of questioning have given light and hope for the successful resolution of Barayuga’s tragic assassination.

In behalf of the House, Speaker Martin Romualdez also thanked the PMA class of 1983.

“I would like to thank them for the trust and confidence they have given our quad committee in looking for justice for their mistah who was assassinated in 2020. Rest assured, we will continue to look for truth amid the bashing and hate messages from a certain sector,” he said.

The quad committee is presided by Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, whose co-chairmen include Representatives Dan Fernandez (Sta. Rosa Laguna), Bienvenido Abante (Manila) and Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod party-list).

It is a special panel composed of four committees: dangerous drugs headed by Barbers, public accounts led by Fernandez, justice and human rights led by Abante, and public order and safety led by Paduano.

The four committees have joined forces after it was established that inquiries related to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators, the previous administration’s anti-drug war as well as extrajudicial killings, were related to each other with the same set of suspects.

Bong Go informed of motive?

Sen. Bong Go was allegedly informed several years ago of the possible motive behind Barayuga’s murder.

Former PCSO chair Anselmo Simeon Pinili, a retired general and classmate of Barayuga, admitted at the quad committee hearing that immediately after Barayuga’s assassination he had shared details of the possible motive with Go and former chief presidential legal counsel Jesus Melchor Quitain.

During the hearing, Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop pressed Pinili on the internal issues at the PCSO that may have contributed to Barayuga’s murder.

These issues centered around disagreements between Garma and Barayuga regarding the issuance of board certificates for Small Town Lottery franchises, which Barayuga reportedly refused to sign without full board approval.

Acop, a lawyer who serves as vice chair to all four panels comprising the quad committee, suggested that these tensions played a significant role in the murder.

In his interpellation, Acop read from a text message Pinili had sent to Barayuga’s widow after the murder, which mentioned a “privileged communication” he had with Go and Quitain.

“What (was the) information that you shared with Quitain and Sen. Bong Go (that was) confidential?” Acop asked. “It’s not confidential anymore because the case will be solved soon.”

Pinili confirmed that he had informed Go and Quitain about the motive, stating, “Yes, your honor. I said this because we have also already known the motive. So, I reported this to them.”

“You already knew who did this. Would that be correct?” Acop asked, to which Pinili replied, “Yes.”

Acop questioned why the information had been withheld for so long: “You knew what really happened, but you never did anything about it. Why? Because of fear. Am I correct?”

Pinili replied, “Partly, your honor.”

“Partly. And which part is not true? You can’t answer. Anyway, I leave it up to your classmates. You should already be telling the whole truth here because the death of your classmate will be solved soon,” Acop said.

Pinili, who had recruited Barayuga to the PCSO, described the late official as a “simple, modest, and honorable man.”

Bato denies meeting on drug trafficker deaths

Meanwhile, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa has denied attending a supposed courtesy call of police officers with former president Duterte, concerning the 2016 killing of three convicted Chinese drug traffickers at the Davao penal colony.

Dela Rosa, the first police chief of the Duterte administration, took a swipe at Paduano for insisting on his attendance at the meeting, which reportedly took place in Davao weeks after Duterte assumed office.

“It is very clear from the recorded video of that hearing that congressman Paduano is very excited and very insistent on my alleged presence in that courtesy call, despite repeated denials from all the resource persons. Again, I vehemently deny that I was a party to that courtesy call or meeting,” Dela Rosa said in a statement.

Dela Rosa earlier slammed the ongoing House probe into the war on drugs, saying it is a “fishing expedition” meant to crush Duterte’s allies ahead of the 2025 and 2028 elections.

“The effort to wholesale former president Duterte, Sen. Bong Go and myself in one single stroke is very evident in his line of questioning,” he said.

At last week’s joint House hearing, Leonardo told the panel that he could not recall seeing Dela Rosa at the meeting.

Garma, who testified that the meeting took place and was present at the gathering, also said that she could not remember Dela Rosa’s presence at the courtesy call.