THE chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) yesterday said the police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) would conduct a joint investigation on the 2020 murder of retired police general and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
Brig. General Nicolas Torre III said the joint probe is based on the order issued by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
“The guidance of SOJ (Secretary of Justice) Jesus Crispin Remulla) is this will not be a parallel investigation anymore between the PNP the NBI, but a joint investigation, the NBI and the PNP will collaborate, Torre said.
He said that “the main (agency) that will interface with the NBI is the CIDG.”
Barayuga was shot dead in Mandaluyong City on July 30, while aboard his PCSO service vehicle. His driver, Jojo Gunao, was injured in the attack.
The name of Barayuga was later included in the list of people involved in the trade of illegal drugs.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the agency has already taken the statements of possible witnesses on Barayuga’s murder.
Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza and police informant Nelson Mariano have tagged former PCSO general manager Royima Garma and resigned National Police Commission (Napolcom) commissioner Edilberto Leonardo as the alleged masterminds in the killing of Barayuga during the hearings of the quad committee of the House of Representatives.
Torre said the CIDG will discuss Mendoza’s revelation before the House joint panel with the DOJ.
“Pag-dedesisyunan na lang whether we will adapt his statement in total na ginawa niya sa Congress (We will just discuss if we will adapt his [Mendoza’s] statements before Congress in total), or if we will wait for another affidavit with similar content or reuse the statements from the congressional hearing. Pag-de-desisyunan ‘yan sa case conference (We will decide on this in our case conference),” he said.
Torre vowed to file charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte if there is enough evidence to prove he is involved in the Barayuga killing and the extrajudicial killings in relation to the campaign against illegal drugs during his administration.
“Let’s see as to the direction (where the) investigation on the cold cases (will take us),” he said.
“If we see a link of anyone, including the former president, then so be it. We will include them in the charges if the evidence warrants,” he added.
Remulla made the same commitment.
“We’re not letting go of the cold cases. If there are people willing to testify and give us evidence para mabuhay ulit natin ‘yung mga kaso kasi walang katahimikan hanggang walang hustisya (so we can revive the cases because there will be peace until we get justice),” Remulla said.
“Kahit sino pa. Alam naman natin na mahalaga na isambulat natin ang katotohanan sa taumbayan (Whoever they may be. We know how important it is to reveal the truth to the public),” he added.
Asked if this may include Duterte, Remulla said nobody will be spared if there is evidence pointing to their involvement in EJKs.
“Basta wala tayong sinasanto. Ang mahalaga , kung merong nagkasala sa lipunan, ito ay pagbayaran. Ito lang naman yun. It’s crime and punishment (We will spare no one here. What is important is if you commit a crime in society, you should be made to pay, to be held accountable. It’s crime and punishment),” he said.
Remulla appealed to those who may have knowledge or witnessed these cold cases of EJKs to come out and provide evidence to the DOJ so that charges can be filed against those responsible.
During the House quad committee hearings, Garma alleged that Duterte and other officials of the Duterte administration sanctioned covert operations on a national scale, replicating the Davao City model of supposed extrajudicial killings, which provided police with financial rewards for killing drug suspects, funding for planned operations, and reimbursement for operational expenses.
She said that Duterte asked her in May 2016 before he assumed the presidency to identify a police officer who is a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo and who would be capable of implementing the war on drugs using the Davao model.
Garma claimed she endorsed Leonardo, her upperclassman at the PNP Academy.
Garma she was later informed by Leonardo that he had been instructed by Duterte to organize a task force against illegal drugs. She said Leonardo invited her to join the task force, but she declined. She said Leonardo also informed her that he prepared a proposal, through now Sen. Bong Go, outlining the task force’s operations.
Garma also alleged that “operational expenses and rewards” were processed through the bank accounts of one Peter Parungo, a former PNP detainee who was reportedly among those tasked to collect and verify information about people allegedly involved in the trade of illegal drugs.
She presented a matrix during the House quad committee hearing suggesting that former PNP chiefs were aware of the covert operation. She implicated Leonardo as the key figure in the alleged scheme and several other ranking officers who led the drug campaign.
As to the charges that may be filed against the people involved, Torre said: “Extra-judicial killings, that will be murder.”
“There are different kinds of principal accused, it could be direct participation, it could be inducement or indispensable cooperation. Let’s see what the evidence will say… There will be (people who will be) principally accused, depending on the evidence that we gather,” he also said.
Torre said the CIDG is still re-examining the testimony given by Garma during the congressional hearing.
