ILOILO City – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to file criminal charges next month against those involved in the July 2020 assassination of retired police general and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
Barayuga, a lawyer and retired police officer, was also formerly a director of the Iloilo City Police Office.
During the 14th meeting of the House quad committee (quadcom) on January 21, NBI deputy director Ferdinand Lavin told a congressional hearing that the investigation into Barayuga’s murder is nearing completion.
“We are already wrapping up or we are concluding the investigation on the Barayuga murder, and in about three weeks’ time we shall be filing our cases against those involved,” Lavin said.
Barayuga was ambushed at the corner of Calbayog and Malinaw streets in Mandaluyong City after leaving his PCSO office at around 4:35 p.m. on July 30, 2020.
A closed-circuit television camera captured the assassination. A motorcycle-riding man drove beside Barayuga’s car and started shooting.
Lavin said the NBI is awaiting the results of a forensic examination on Barayuga’s gadgets provided by his wife.
“These gadgets were turned over to our agent in Iloilo, Atty. Arnold Diaz, who applied for warrants to examine their contents. These gadgets were brought to our main office for examination, and we should be ready with our reports in about two to three weeks’ time, your honor,” Lavin said.
Asked to confirm whether charges will be filed within that timeframe, he said yes.
Progress in the case was reported in September 2024 when Police Lieutenant Colonel Santi Mendoza testified before the quadcom about the ambush that killed Barayuga.
Mendoza implicated former PCSO general manager Royina Garma and retired police colonel Edilberto Leonardo as masterminds in the fatal ambush.
Both Leonardo and Garma denied having anything to do with Barayuga’s killing.
Barayuga was Iloilo City police director for two years from 2006 to 2008. He later became deputy regional director for operations of the Police Regional Office 6.
In 2012 Barayuga led the regional police’s Task Force Armas that went after gun owners who failed to renew their firearms’ licenses.
The following year, 2013, Barayuga held a general position in Camp Crame as executive officer for the Directorate for Logistics.
According to Mendoza, he and fellow police officer Nelson Mariano were tasked with executing the hit. They allegedly received detailed instructions, including Barayuga’s whereabouts at the PCSO office and information about his service vehicle.
Mendoza said Leonardo provided a photograph of Barayuga during a meeting inside the PCSO and later gave the go-ahead to carry out the attack when Barayuga left the building.
The final orders were to allegedly eliminate Barayuga once he was outside, and Mendoza said he relayed these details to Mariano.
Mendoza disclosed that Garma, through Leonardo, provided a payment of P300,000 for the job.
Barayuga sustained fatal gunshot wounds, including one to the head./PN
