MANILA, Philippines – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil ordered a review of the PNP’s internal rules following the revelation that slain Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga was included in the drug watch list after his death.
“We are committed to thoroughly investigating the brutal murder of [Police Brigadier General] Barayuga, but equally important is the need to audit our internal mechanisms that may have contributed to this erroneous association,” Marbil said in a statement on Wednesday, October 2.
During the House of Representatives’ quad committee hearing on Friday, September 27, anti-drug cop Police Lieutenant Colonel Santie Mendoza alleged that former PCSO general manager retired police colonel Royina Garma and retired police colonel-turned-National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo allegedly ordered Barayuga’s assassination.
Mendoza revealed that he was ordered to kill the PCSO official in the guise of a drug war operation.
It was also revealed during the hearing that Barayuga’s name only appeared in the government’s drug watch list after his death in 2020.
“We must dig deeper into why General Barayuga’s name appeared on a drug list after his death. This highlights a critical need to scrutinize and overhaul our processes,” Marbil said.
“Our internal systems must be airtight. We need to ensure that every name on a crime-related list is supported by credible intelligence and goes through a rigorous validation process. This is essential for maintaining the integrity of the PNP and protecting the lives and reputations of those involved,” he added.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Barayuga family thanked the House mega-panel and their witnesses in uncovering the truth behind the former PCSO official’s killing.
“This gives us comfort even while we know that we are still far from receiving justice. Sa huling apat na taon inupuan ang kaso at pinaasa ang aming pamilya na may ginagawa sila ukol dito (In the last four years, they stalled the investigation and brought our hopes up that they’re doing something about the case,” the family said.
“At this point, it is difficult to trust and put our hopes up. However, we believe that this is God’s way of serving justice and clearing Wesley A. Barayuga’s name whose case was alleged to be drug-related in a desperate attempt to cover up their tracks,” they added.
Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative and quad committee lead chairperson Ace Barbers, meanwhile, urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file necessary complaints against Garma and Leonardo following the revelations from Mendoza. Reporters have already asked the DOJ for comment. We will update this story once they respond.
Barayuga was killed on July 30, 2020 while aboard his vehicle in Mandaluyong City. In four years, no complaint was filed in relation to his killing.
During the quad committee hearing last week, lawmakers revealed that the former police general was killed in the middle of a probe into alleged corruption in the PCSO. Prior to the ambush, Barayuga had said that he was ready to testify in the probe. – Rappler.com
