Two police officials were placed under restrictive custody in relation to the ongoing investigation on the killing of retired general and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza and Col. Hector Grijaldo will be questioned in connection with the death of Barayuga over the information that was revealed during the hearing of a Quad-Committee of the House of Representatives.
It was Mendoza who disclosed that he was tasked by former PCSO general manager Royina Garma and former police colonel Edilberto Leonardo who is now working as one of the commissioners of the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Barayuga, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1983, reportedly played a key role in cleansing the roster of small-town lottery operators that replaced the illegal numbers game of jueteng in Central Luzon and masiao in the Visayas.
Barayuga also crafted and implemented ways for STL operators to strictly comply with the government rules, a move that allegedly earned the ire of illegal gambling operators.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil earlier ordered the reinvestigation of the case of Barayuga which remained unsolved since the incident happened in July 2020.
“In light of these serious allegations, there is a need for a full investigation into the case. The new revelation demands a thorough reinvestigation of the murder. No one is above the law, and we will seek justice for retired general Wesley Barayuga and his family with the full resources of the PNP,” said Marbil.
“We are committed to uncovering the truth, regardless of the position or power of those involved. The public can rest assured that we will hold those responsible accountable," he added.
Fajardo said Grijaldo was sacked from his post at the PNP Drug Enforcement Group as he would be subjected to questioning as to the investigation that was conducted by his office when he was still the chief of police of Mandaluyong City, according to Fajardo.
Fajardo said the CIDG has already created a special investigation task force to probe into possible lapses and negligence in the conduct of the investigation on Barayuga’s killing.
Aside from the two, a dismissed policeman will also be secured as he was allegedly the one who contacted a hired killer to assassinate Barayuga.
“We will proceed where the evidence will point us. If there are people higher than Garma and Leonardo, the Chief PNP said there will be no sacred cow in the conduct of investigation to ferret out the truth,” said Marbil.