A Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has issued an arrest warrant against former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royima Garma and four others in connection with the July 2020 killing of retired police general Wesley Barayuga, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on Monday, Sept, 29.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said the arrest warrant, issued by Branch 279 of the Mandaluyong RT, also covers retired police colonel and former National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo; Lt. Col. Santie Fuentes Mendoza; dismissed policeman Nelson Enriquez Mariano; and Jeremy Causapin.
All five individuals are facing charges of murder and frustrated murder in relation to Barayuga’s death. At the time of his killing, Barayuga was serving as a member of the PCSO Board.
During a hearing at the House of Representatives in September last year, Mendoza tagged Garma and Leonardo as the persons who ordered a hit on Barayuga under the guise of anti-illegal drugs operations.
Mendoza said he had no option but to carry out the task as he feared for his life, especially that he was aware that both Garma, who is also a retired police official, and Leonardo were influential that time.
In the same hearing, it was found out that Barayuga was already preparing the documents to expose the alleged corruption in the PCSO.
Tuaño said acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. ordered the implementation of the order.
He said Mendoza is under the custody of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU).
But Tuaño said they are yet to locate the other accused in the case.
Garma, on the other hand, flew to Malaysia early this month shortly after arriving in the country following her deportation to the United States.
She reportedly agreed to become a witness against former President Rodrigo R. Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the alleged reward system during the drug war. (Aaron Recuenco)
