Royina Garma (Facebook)

Royina Garma has already admitted her part in launching former president Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war on drugs, but she's still adamant about her innocence in the 2020 assassination of fellow Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) official Wesley Barayuga. 

Garma, the former PCSO general manager, insisted before the House quad-committee (quad-comm) on late Friday night, Oct 11 that he had nothing to do with the death of Barayuga, the board secretary. 

"How about the death of general Wesley Barayuga? Tell us the truth about it. It's common knowledge Colonel Garma that you and General Barayuga [had] some altercations, di ba (right)? That there's some things that you do not agree on," quad-comm co-chairman, Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. asked Garma during the hearing. 

"No, Mr. Chair. OK po yung friendship namin ni Sir Barayuga (My friendship with Sir Barayuga is OK). We didn't argue Mr. Chair," said the resource person. 

Abante further asked, "So you do not argue with him as far as the operations of STL (small town lottery) is concerned?" 

"Wala po kasi siyang hand dun, board secretary siya (He doesn't have a hand in that, he's the board secretary). He just handles yung mga (the) board resolutions, takes notes of the board meetings. No decision-making [power], Mr. Chair," she said. 

The Manila congressman was referring to the allegation that Garma wanted to stop Barayuga from testifying on the alleged corruption in the PCSO, particularly on STL operations. 

During the quad-comm hearing on Sept. 27, Police Lt. Col. Santie Fuentes Mendoza, presently assigned with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group (DEG), and his civilian anti-drug “asset” Nelson Mariano both testified that Garma and National Police Commission (Napolcom) Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo planned and funded Barayuga’s assassination.  

As per Mendoza's testimony, Leonardo told him that Garma herself provided P300,000 as "payment for the job". 

In Friday's hearing, Garma denied sending pictures of Barayuga to the hitmen recruited by Mendoza team. This was supposedly to help the hitmen carry out the operation. 

"So...you had nothing to do with the death, with the killing of Gen. Barayuga?" Abante asked Garma, to which she said, "Wala po (Nothing), Mr. Chair." 

When the quad-comm co-chairman asked if what Mendoza had said was wrong, Garma answered. "Yes, Mr. Chair." 

"So you are now saying to us here, truthfully, that had you had nothing to do with the death of General Barayuga?" Abante asked once again, for everyone's clarity. 

"Yes Mr. Chair," said the ex-PCSO chief. 

Barayuga, a retired police general, was slain in broad daylight on July 30, 2020. He was reportedly aboard a PCSO service vehicle issued to him by Garma for that day.

Barayuga, a retired police general, was slain in broad daylight on July 30, 2020. He was reportedly on board a PCSO service vehicle issued to him by Garma for that day. 

Garma--detained at the House of Representatives for supposedly lying in past quad-comm hearings--was in her most cooperative self last Friday. She was no longer evasive with her answers and appeared more than willing to share information to the congressmen.

Earlier in the hearing, she accused Duterte of spearheading a nationwide, cash reward-driven system during his administration's war on drugs, similar to what allegedly took place in Davao City. 

Garma--upon a request for help from Duterte--recommended Leonardo to be the implementer of this drug war.

Garma and Duterte are reportedly very close to each other.