By JOSEPH ANTHONY A. DAMGO
SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go was informed several years ago of the possible motive behind the 2020 killing of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary, retired Gen. Wesley Barayuga, who was also a member of Philippine Military Academy Matikas Class of 1983.
This revelation emerged during Friday’s seventh public hearing of the Quad Comm investigating extrajudicial killings (EJKs) linked to the Duterte administration's brutal war on drugs, which also targeted political rivals and innocent individuals falsely accused of drug involvement after being deliberately included in the controversial drug list.
Former PCSO chair Anselmo Simeon Pinili, a retired general and classmate of Barayuga, admitted during the hearing that immediately after Barayuga’s assassination, he had shared details of the possible motive with Go and former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Jesus Melchor Quitain.
During the hearing, Antipolo City 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop, a former police general and member of the PMA Magiting Class of 1970, pressed Pinili on the internal issues at the PCSO that may have contributed to Barayuga’s murder.
These issues centered around disagreements between then-PCSO General Manager Royina Garma and Barayuga regarding the issuance of board certificates for Small Town Lottery (STL) franchises, which Barayuga reportedly refused to sign without full board approval.
Acop, a lawyer who serves as vice chair to all four panels comprising the Quad Committee, suggested that these tensions played a significant role in the murder.
In his interpellation, Acop read from a text message Pinili had sent to Barayuga’s widow after the murder, which mentioned a "privileged communication" he had with Go and Quitain.
“What were those information that you shared with Quitain and Sen. Bong Go confidential?” Acop, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, asked. “Hindi na confidential ngayon kasi masu-solve na ‘yung kaso.”
Pinili confirmed that he had informed Go and Quitain about the motive, stating, "Yes, Your Honor. I said this because we have also already known the motive. So I reported this to them."
“Alam niyo na kung sino ang may kagagawan. Would that be correct?” Acop asked, to which Pinili replied, “Yes, Your Honor.”
Growing frustrated, Acop questioned why the information had been withheld for so long. “Alam ninyo ang totoong nangyari but you never did anything about it. Why? Because of fear. Am I correct?” he asked. Pinili responded, “Partly, Your Honor.”
“Partly. And which part is not true? Hindi ka makasagot. Anyway, bahala ka na sa iyong mga classmates. Dapat nga nagsasabi ka na ng buong katotohanan dito eh dahil maso-solve na yung pagkamatay ng classmate mo,” Acop said.
Pinili, who had recruited Barayuga to the PCSO, described the late official as a “simple, modest, and honorable man.”
Earlier in the hearing, two resource persons testified before the Quad Committee, accusing Garma of masterminding Barayuga’s killing.
Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza claimed that Garma ordered Barayuga’s assassination in exchange for P300,000, a claim corroborated by retired Police Cpl. Nelson Mariano, who admitted to recruiting the hitman.
Mendoza explained that the plot began in October 2019 when Police Col. Edilberto Leonardo, now a commissioner of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), approached him with a "special project" to eliminate Barayuga and framed him for involvement in illegal drugs.
Despite initial hesitations, Mendoza complied, knowing the order came directly from Garma, who was known for her close ties to then-President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Garma, a retired police colonel allegedly linked to the infamous Davao Death Squad, played a major role in Duterte’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
At least four witnesses implicated Garma in relaying orders to kill three suspected Chinese drug lords at a Davao prison in 2016.
Former President Duterte was also linked to these killings, allegedly congratulating then-prison warden Supt. Gerardo Padilla after hitmen Leopoldo “Tata” Tan Jr. and Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro killed the Chinese inmates—Chu Kin Tung, Li Lan Yan and Wong Meng Pin.
Former Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmeña reported 198 killings during Garma’s assignment in Cebu from July 2018 to July 2019.
He also cited allegations that Garma received a P1 million weekly bribe while serving as chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region 7.
Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel described Garma as a “ruthless killer disguised as a meek lamb” after she was identified as the mastermind behind Barayuga’s murder.
Pimentel urged the Quad Comm to recommend murder charges against Garma and Leonardo in its report.
Barayuga was shot and killed by a motorcycle-riding assailant around 3:30 p.m. on July 30, 2020.
Meanwhile, members of the Philippine Military Academy’s Matikas Class of 1983 on Sunday praised the leaders and members of the Quad Committee for their legislative inquiry that finally identified the alleged masterminds and perpetrators in the murder of their mistah - Barayuga.
Retired Air Force Col. Enrique J. Dela Cruz, PMA Class 1983 president, said Quadcom’s persistent efforts and incisive line of questioning have given light and hope for the successful resolution of Barayuga’s tragic assassination four years ago.
“Such service and commitment to deliver justice and righteous acts as you do today give us confidence that our nation is indeed represented by wise, courageous and honorable men. It may not bring our dear Wesley back but it is reassuring that there are people in government who are doing their best to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.
“(And) in behalf of the family of our dear Mistah, we also convey our profound gratitude for the identification of the assailants,” he added.
For his part, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, overall chairman of Quadcom and chair of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, expressed thanks to the members of the PMA Matikas Class of 1983 for their full trust and confidence to the solons comprising the Quadcom panel.
“First of all, I thank the PMA Class 1983 members for their trust and confidence to the Quadcom leaders and members. On behalf of Quadcom, I would like to assure you that we would dig to the bottom of Wesley’s case and ensure that all the people who conspired in his murder are punished under all our applicable laws,” the lawmaker from Mindanao said.
During last Friday’s seventh Quadcom hearing held at the Lower House in Quezon City, active-duty Police Lt. Col. Santie Fuentes Mendoza, presently assigned with the PNP Drug Enforcement Group Special Operations Unit, and his civilian anti-drug “asset” Nelson Mariano both testified that former PCSO general manager Royina Garma and Napolcom Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo have planned and funded the July 30, 2020 assassination of Barayuga.
Barayuga, who is a lawyer, a retired police general and former PCSO board secretary, was on his way home from his PCSO office on July 30, 2020 when he was shot four times at close range by one of two gunmen aboard separate motorbikes at the corner of Calbayog and Malinaw streets in Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City while traffic was at a standstill. His driver, who was hit once in the stomach, survived the incident.
Under incisive questioning by lawmakers, Mendoza narrated the details on when and how Barayuga’s assassination was hatched and implemented, with the promise of a reward money and “good trajectory of my career as a police officer.”
Mendoza’s statement was corroborated by his “asset” Mariano that an amount of P300,000 reward money, supposedly coming from the PCSO, was dangled to them for the kill, and the split was P40,000 for him; P60,000 for the civilian anti-drug “asset”; and P200,000 for the two gunmen, one of whom was identified only as a certain “Loloy.”
Barayuga was appointed PCSO board secretary on Jan. 24, 2018. Retired police general Anselmo Pinili, also a member of PMA Matikas Class of 1983, was appointed PCSO chairman of the board on January 24, 2018. Both Barayuga and Pinili served under their PMA classmate Maj. Gen. Alexander Balutan who was PCSO general manager at that time.
Balutan, appointed as PCSO GM on September 13, 2016, was unceremoniously fired by Duterte on March 8, 2019 and was replaced by Garma, who still have 10 years before her retirement from police service, on July 15, 2019.
At the time of Barayuga’s assassination, retired Army general Eduardo Ano, also a member of the PMA Class 1983, was the sitting Department of the Interior and Local Government secretary and this have put much pressure on him to work for the resolution of their ‘mistah’s” death.
Of the 198 PMA Class 1983 graduates, 69 were originally assigned to the Philippine Army, 65 to the Philippine Constabulary, 29 to Philippine Navy and 30 to the Philippine Air Force. Six went to various US Service Academies. Four of them became AFP’s chiefs of staff.
On Oct, 7, 2020, members of the PMA Matikas Class of 1983 placed an ad in a major newspaper offering a P1 million reward for anyone who could provide information that could lead to the arrest of those involved in Barayuga’s murder.
The House leadership led by Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte created the Quadcomm, the first of its kind in the chamber’s history, to unite four House panels – Dangerous Drugs panel led by Barbers, Human Rights led by Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante, Public Order and Safety chaired by Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano and Public Accounts chaired by Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez– because they are separately conducting investigations on POGOs, EJKs and illegal drugs with same resource persons and with similar or interrelated subjects.
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