The Philippine National Police - Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) has begun its investigation into the administrative liability of police officials tagged in the killing of retired police general and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
IAS Inspector General Brigido Dulay said the internal probe ordered by PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil includes Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza, who disclosed during a hearing at the House of Representatives that he was ordered by former PCSO general manager Royina Garma and National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo to kill Barayuga.
He said the IAS has coordinated with the House Quad Committee (Quadcom) regarding the testimony of Mendoza during last week's hearing.
“Based on the statements of Santie Mendoza, our investigation will take off from there. All personalities who were mentioned will be included in the probe. But remember, the hearing is not over yet and the Quadcom said it would reveal more pieces of evidence in the next hearings. The IAS is keeping a close watch on these new pieces of evidence, if any," Dulay said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.
During the seventh hearing of the Quadcom on alleged extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, Mendoza recounted that in October 2019, Leonardo, allegedly upon the request of then-PCSO general manager Garma, asked him to “operate” on a high-value target, later identified as Barayuga.
Garma and Leonardo were Mendoza’s seniors or upperclassmen at the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).
Mendoza said he obeyed his PNPA seniors’ instruction by asking Mariano to contact a potential hitman, a certain “Loloy.”
Dulay said their investigation would take about 45 days to 60 days just to gather evidence.
He said summary dismissal proceedings would be undertaken if there is enough basis to formally charge those involved in the case.
“We are not just concentrating on Mendoza's statement. We are also looking into those who are involved in the events, which led to Barayuga's killing, especially those who are involved in his inclusion in the drug list," Dulay added.
He said Mendoza may face dismissal from the service, emphasizing that the murder of a government official is a grave offense.
"Mendoza admitted it himself. He said he was ready to face the consequences when he appeared before the Quadcom and revealed his role in Barayuga's killing,” Dulay said.
Aside from Mendoza, Col. Hector Grijaldo, a former Mandaluyong City police chief, is currently under restrictive custody in Camp Crame.
Marbil earlier directed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to re-investigate Barayuga's killing to determine possible lapses and cover-ups in the handling of the case.
Reports showed that a motorcycle-riding gunman shot Barayuga who was inside his car on Calbayog Street in Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City in July 2020.
NBI reopens probe on Barayuga death
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it is reopening its investigation into Barayuga's death following revelations made in an ongoing legislative inquiry by the House of Representatives Quad Committee.
In a press briefing, lawyer Yentl Malicad, NBI Deputy Chief of Staff of Legal Services, said an investigation began shortly after the incident in 2020 and will now be re-opened.
“(T)he documents we have gathered before will be evaluated together with the pieces of evidence that will be gathered sa panibagong (in the new) investigation. From there, iche-check po natin (we will check) if there is sufficient evidence to file a case against those who are involved in the killing,” Malicad said.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, meanwhile, said the government is setting up an arrangement to protect Mendoza, who is currently under restrictive custody in Camp Crame.
Remulla said that strictly speaking, law enforcement personnel cannot be placed under the government’s witness protection program (WPP).
"Under the mandate of the WPP, we're not allowed to directly protect officers of the law, the law enforcement officers. Maybe indirectly, we might have a way to do it but not directly," he said. (With Benjamin Pulta/PNA)
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