ILOILO City – Brigadier General Wesley Barayuga, a former board member of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), did not deserve his fate, according to Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director Brigadier General Jack Wanky.
Wanky described Barayuga – who had also served as director of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) – as a simple and professional officer, in response to the reopening of the case surrounding Barayuga’s assassination in 2020.
Barayuga was gunned down in July 2020 while riding in a PCSO pickup truck in Mandaluyong City, shortly after leaving office. His murder remained unsolved for years until recent developments emerged.
Wanky, who had worked closely with Barayuga during the latter’s tenure as ICPO director from 2006 to 2008, expressed hope that the retired officer’s family would finally receive justice.
“He was a professional officer, a victim of circumstances,” Wanky said, recalling their past association.
The breakthrough in the case came after Police Lieutenant Colonel Santie Mendoza, currently with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group, confessed to his involvement in the assassination.
Mendoza testified before a congressional hearing on September 27, admitting that he had conspired to kill Barayuga under orders from high-ranking police officials closely tied to the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Mendoza claimed that the assassination was orchestrated by National Police Commission member Edilberto Leonardo, allegedly on the directive of former PCSO general manager Royina Garma.
Mendoza stated that Garma had accused Barayuga of being involved in illegal drugs.
According to Mendoza, the plot to kill Barayuga began in late 2019, when Leonardo contacted him about a “special project” targeting a “high-value individual”. Mendoza later recruited his informant, Nelson Mariano, who had ties to professional assassins. Mariano also testified in Congress, confirming Mendoza’s account.
The plan was delayed by the COVID-19 lockdown in Metro Manila, but the assassination was eventually carried out on July 30, 2020. Closed-circuit television footage captured a gunman on a motorcycle approaching Barayuga’s vehicle and firing several shots, killing him.
Mendoza revealed that a hit man named “Loloy” was hired for P200,000 to carry out the murder. After the operation, Mendoza received P40,000, while Mariano was paid P60,000.
The payment was allegedly facilitated by a contact of Garma’s, known only by the alias “Toks”.
Barayuga’s case, initially considered a “cold case”, has now gained renewed attention following Mendoza’s confession, raising hopes that justice may finally be served for the slain officer and his family.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is now pursuing further investigations based on these revelations./PN
