Garma, 4 others liable for murder over ex-PCSO exec killing – NBI

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THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has recommended the filing of murder and frustrated murder charges against former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma and four others in connection with the 2020 killing of retired police general and former PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said this was the result of the case build-up and investigation conducted by the composite team of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the NBI tasked by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

“Following the investigation, sufficient pieces of evidence were gathered to recommend the filing of charges,” Santiago said in the transmittal letter addressed to Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon.

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Aside from Garma, also charged with murder and frustrated murder are resigned National Police Commission (Napolcom) Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, Jeremy Zapata Causapin alias Toks, Police Lt. Col. Santie Fuentes Mendoza and police informant Nelson Enriquez Mariano.

It was Mendoza and Mariano who tagged Garma as the mastermind in the killing of Barayuga on July 30, 2020 in Mandaluyong City.

Garma and Leonardo have both denied involvement in or knowledge of the murder of Barayuga.

Barayuga was killed by unidentified assailants while on board a PCSO service vehicle. An initial police investigation on the incident indicated he was targeted for his alleged involvement in illegal drugs activities.

Reports, however, indicate that Barayuga earned the ire of Garma over operational disagreements on PCSO’s lottery games.

The NBI recommended that the government tap Mendoza and Mariano as state witness in the case against Garma based on their testimonies before the quad committee of the House of Representatives, which Santiago said were corroborated by the findings of the joint DOJ-NBI task force.

Remulla has previously said that Garma and her daughter were arrested on November 7 by US border control officers upon their arrival in California due to their cancelled US visas.

Remulla later said Garma is also being held by US authorities for her supposed involvement in money laundering activities.

The Bureau of Immigration earlier said it is still waiting for word from US authorities regarding Garma’s continued detention.

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