NBI eyes charges vs suspects in Barayuga slay
The The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced late Tuesday that it was already wrapping up its investigation into the 2020 assassination of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga and may be ready to file cases within three weeks.
During the quad committee’s first hearing of the year, NBI deputy director Ferdinand Lavin told lawmakers that the bureau was eyeing to finish its investigation report in about three weeks’ time, “and by that time we shall be filing our cases against those involved.”
He added that the agency was just waiting for the forensic examination of the gadgets turned over by Barayuga’s wife to its Iloilo agent.
Lavin did not name the persons of interest in their investigation. But his commitment to file charges comes three months after an anti-narcotics agent, Police Lt. Col. Santi Mendoza, testified before the quad committee that he was ordered by his police academy upperclassmen Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo to kill Barayuga in order to prevent him from testifying about alleged corruption in the PCSO.
Garma and Leonardo were known for their close ties to former President Rodrigo Duterte, who appointed them to key positions after retiring from the police force. Leonardo became a member of the National Police Commission and Garma became the general manager of PCSO.
Mendoza’s affidavit
In an affidavit, Mendoza claimed that Leonardo contacted him in October 2019 about an operation aimed at a high-value individual accused of involvement in illegal drugs, Barayuga.
He alleged that Leonardo told him that the directive to target Barayuga originated from then-PCSO general manager Garma.
Mendoza testified that following Leonardo’s request, he instructed Nelson Mariano, an informant familiar with illegal drug activities, to find a hitman.
He also claimed that on the day of the planned assassination, he was given regular updates that allowed him to track Barayuga from a PCSO meeting with Garma until his departure from the agency’s office in Mandaluyong City.
Mendoza mentioned that Leonardo gave information about Barayuga’s vehicle, including its plate number, which was obtained from Garma.
Garma is currently in the United States, where she and a companion were detained by immigration officials due to a visa-related issue upon arriving at San Francisco airport on Nov. 7.
Philippine authorities are anticipating her deportation, but there have been no recent updates about her case since her detention.
