The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has formally requested the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a “red notice” against former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma, one of the accused in the 2020 slay of retired police general and PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
A red notice is an international alert that asks law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal proceedings.
According to NBI Director Jaime B. Santiago, the request was made following an order issued on October 15 by the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 279.
The court granted the prosecution’s motion to cancel the passports and issue hold departure orders (HDOs) against Garma and her co-accused.
Garma and her co-accused are facing charges of murder and frustrated murder in connection with the 2020 killing of Barayuga, which also left his driver, Jun Gunao, wounded.
Two of her co-accused have already surrendered to the NBI — Police Lt. Col. Santie Fuentes Mendoza and dismissed policeman Nelson Enriquez Mariano.
The other accused in the case are retired police colonel and former National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, and Jeremy Causapin.
Garma returned to the Philippines last Sept. 6 after being denied asylum in the United States but left for Malaysia on Sept. 7 to talk to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a witness against former president Rodrigo R. Duterte who is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands on charges of crimes against humanity. (Jeffrey Damicog)
