Gwyneth Perseveranda

Police Lt. Col. Santi Mendoza, a member of Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-PDEG) identified former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Royina Garma as the mastermind of the execution of PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

Photo Courtesy of RMN Networks/House of Representatives.

Mendoza also revealed that National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo was involved in the plot to kill the PCSO official.

At the seventh quad committee hearing on Sept. 27, the cop broke into tears as he recounted the events outlined on his affidavit, leading to Barayuga’s death.

“Ako po ay nalinlang at napaniwala na ang ibinigay na tasking sa akin ay makatutulong laban sa droga. Subalit ito pala ay ginamit na kasangkapan para sa pansariling interes at masamang layunin,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza also asserted to the quad comm that he was coerced to take the job out of fear for his life and his loved ones.

According to Mendoza, the conspiracy to assassinate Barayuga began in October 2019, when Leonardo contacted him concerning a ‘special project’ involving ‘high-value target’ Barayuga, who was allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

The DEG official stated that Leonardo said the directive to murder Barayuga was given personally by Garma, the PCSO manager at that time and also a former police colonel.

Mendoza said that despite his reservations to heed to the order, he cannot decline the ‘assignment’, as Garma claimed to have personal knowledge of Barayuga’s involvement in drugs.

When the lawmakers inquired why he was crying, he answered, “Kasi po, pumatay kami ng inosente.”

Mendoza recounted that he hired former police corporal Nelson Mariano for his knowledge of such ‘assignments’ and later recruited a hitman named “Loloy”.

Barayuga was gunned down by an unidentified assailant on June 30, 2020 around 3:30 P.M. at the corner of Calbayog and Malinaw Streets in Brgy. Highway Hills.

In his affidavit, Mendoza mentioned that Garma granted them P300,000 as compensation for their assignment, to be given by someone named “Toks” to his middleman, Nelson Mariano.

Mariano handed Mendoza a P40,000 payment as part of his ‘share’.

Garma and Leonardo are under fire in recent house quad committee hearings as alleged members of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) and perpetrators of the killings of the three Chinese drug lords.