MANILA, Philippines – Dapat maghain ng reklamong murder ang Department of Justice (DOJ) laban kina retired police Colonels Royina Garma at Edilberto Leonardo dahil sa pagpatay kay dating Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga, paghimok ni House dangerous drugs panel chair at Surigao del Norte representative Ace Barbers nitong Miyerkules, Oktubre 2.
Si Barbers, na chairman ng House Quad Committee ay nag-iimbestiga sa drug war deaths sa panahon ng administrasyong Duterte kung saan ipinanawagan niya ang pagsasampa ng reklamo kasunod ng mga testimonya nina Police Lieutenant Colonel Santie Mendoza ng Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-PDEG) at police informant Nelson Mariano na nag-aakusa kina Garma at Leonardo na nag-utos na ipapatay si Barayuga dahil sa kaugnayan umano nito sa drug trade. Kalaunan ay napag-alaman na ito ay dahil lamang sa hindi pagkakasundo sa PCSO game na Perya ng Bayan.
Sa panahon ng pagpapapatay umano kay Barayuga, si Garma ang PCSO General Manager habang si Leonardo ang commissioner ng National Police Commission (Napolcom).
“We are in close coordination with the DOJ. They have representatives monitoring our hearings precisely because we are unearthing evidence of criminal activities and other acts of wrongdoing in the course of our inquiry. They should interview our two witnesses last Friday and assess their testimonies,” saad sa pahayag ni Barbers.
“They (DOJ officials) do not have to wait for the [final] report of the joint committee, which will include a recommendation to file such [murder] charges. The panel will take time to write the report since the inquiry is still ongoing. The exchange of messages via Viber and the supposed photo of Barayuga taken by Garma during their PCSO meeting will strengthen the case against Garma and Leonardo,” dagdag pa niya.
Si Garma at Leonardo ay senior o upperclassmen ni Mendoza sa Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).
Nitong Miyerkules, nagpasalamat ang pamilya ng nasawing PCSO executive sa House QuadComm sa paghahanap ng hustisya para sa pagkamatay ni Barayuga.
“This gives us comfort even while we know that we are still far from receiving justice. Sa huling apat na taon inupuan ang kaso at pinaasa ang aming pamilya na may ginagawa sila ukol dito. At this point, it is difficult to trust and put our hopes up,” saad sa pahayag ng pamilya nito.
“However, we believe that this is God’s way of serving justice and clearing Wesley A. Barayuga’s name whose case was alleged to be drug-related in a desperate attempt to cover up their tracks. Maraming salamat sa lahat ng nagsusuporta,” pagpapatuloy nito.
Siniguro naman ni Barbers na magsisikap ang House Quad Comm sa paghahanap ng hustisya para kay Barayuga.
“We promise the Barayuga family that we will do everything that we could to hold Barayuga’s killers accountbale,” ani Barbers. RNT/JGC
