MANILA, Philippines – Four years after the brazen daylight assassination of Brigadier General Wesley Barayuga, a former Board Secretary of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the nation is reeling from the resurgence of a cold case that now implicates high-ranking government officials as the alleged masterminds. The chilling truth, revealed in explosive legislative hearings, points not only to a conspiracy to silence an honest official but also hints at deep-seated corruption within state institutions.
The sequence of events that ended the life of a distinguished public servant began on a seemingly ordinary afternoon on July 30, 2020, in the heart of Mandaluyong City.
The Assassination: A Professional Hit
Wesley Barayuga, 62, a retired Police Brigadier General and a dedicated Board Secretary at the PCSO since 2018, was traveling home in his white Mitsubishi pickup truck alongside his driver, Jojo Gunao. As they navigated the intersection of Kalbayog and Malinao Streets, a man on a blue motorcycle swiftly approached the vehicle. Without hesitation, the assailant unleashed a hail of gunfire before escaping rapidly. Barayuga’s vehicle immediately crashed into the car in front of it. In a matter of seconds, the life of a respected official was extinguished, marking the beginning of one of the most perplexing and politically charged murder investigations in PCSO history.
Barayuga’s background was one of unwavering service. A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (Class Matikas 1983) and a law degree holder from the University of San Agustin, Iloilo, he was known for his stringent stance on law and order. Crucially, as the PCSO Board Secretary, he had gained a reputation for uncompromising integrity and a fierce opposition to illegal gambling operations, including illicit operations of the Small Town Lottery (STL) and jueteng. Colleagues described him as upright, simple, and unafraid to confront powerful figures within the gambling industry. It was this very commitment to rectitude, it is now alleged, that signed his death warrant.
CCTV footage of the ambush, which quickly circulated online, revealed the professionalism of the hit. The gunman was calm and practiced, firing shots with his right hand before seamlessly switching to his left as he accelerated away. Police quickly identified the coordinated effort, noting the presence of a second motorcycle and a brown sedan believed to have acted as “blockers,” trapping Barayuga’s truck before the shooting commenced. Barayuga was pronounced dead on the spot, while his driver, Jojo Gunao, survived with injuries.
Four Years of Silence and the Bombshell Confession
Following the crime, promises of justice from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the PCSO slowly faded as months turned into years without a concrete suspect or lead. The case went cold, despite a ₱1 million reward offered by Barayuga’s PMA classmates.
The long silence was shattered on September 27, 2024, during a public hearing at the House of Representatives. The proceedings erupted with a shocking testimony that breathed new life into the investigation.
Standing before the legislators, Lt. Col. Santi Mendoza of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group delivered a trembling confession: “I was ordered to kill Wesley Barayuga.”
The alleged conspirators named by Mendoza sent shockwaves through the political establishment: former Napolcom Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, and the most startling name of all—former PCSO General Manager, Royina Garma.
Mendoza claimed he was paid ₱300,000 to execute the murder. The alleged motive initially presented to him—that Barayuga was involved in illegal drugs—was vehemently denied by the victim’s family and, significantly, admitted by Mendoza to have been a complete fabrication, invented solely to justify the crime.
Even more damning was Mendoza’s revelation that Garma herself allegedly provided the precise details of Barayuga’s vehicle, including the color and license plate, to ensure he was easily targeted by the hit squad.
The Motive: Obstructing Corruption
The House hearings quickly established a far heavier motive than the manufactured drug claim. Testimony revealed that Barayuga’s murder was orchestrated because he was allegedly obstructing the illegal approval of STL franchises that Garma was reportedly attempting to award to close associates. As Board Secretary, Barayuga’s signature was required on these contracts. His refusal to approve illegal or dubious transactions made him a “hindrance” to powerful figures seeking to benefit from PCSO transactions, ultimately leading to the decision to silence him permanently.
A Tainted Web: Connections to the “War on Drugs”
The investigative hearing took an even darker turn when Garma made a stunning counter-allegation. She tearfully disclosed that in 2016, former President Rodrigo Duterte allegedly ordered the nationwide implementation of the “Davao Model”—a reported reward system for police officers for every suspect killed. According to Garma, rewards ranged from ₱20,000 to ₱1 million depending on the “target.” She stated her reasons for speaking out were not malice, but fear for her own life.
The aftermath of these revelations was turbulent. Garma fled to the United States and filed for asylum but was subsequently arrested in California after her visa was revoked. She was deported to the Philippines in September 2025, only to immediately flee again to Malaysia, allegedly to coordinate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a potential witness against Duterte in his case concerning alleged crimes against humanity.
The Legal Reckoning and the Quest for Justice
The wheels of justice are now finally turning. In February 2025, the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed charges of murder and frustrated murder against Garma, Leonardo, and three others.
The commitment to justice gained momentum on September 29, 2025, when the court issued warrants of arrest for the accused. Two former police officers, Nelson Mariano and Santi Mendoza, voluntarily surrendered to the NBI, indicating that their testimonies will be crucial in securing convictions for the “masterminds.”
In the same month, the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court (RTC) ordered the cancellation of the passports of Garma and Leonardo and issued a Hold Departure Order (HDO) to prevent them from fleeing the country once more.
As the pre-trial conference approaches on November 12, 2025, the nation watches intently. The central question remains: Will justice finally be served for Wesley Barayuga after four agonizing years? Or will the power and influence of the implicated officials once again prevail?
This case is far more than the murder of a single official. It serves as a stark reflection of a deeply corrupt system of power, graft, and abuse that continues to plague institutions intended to serve the Filipino people. The gunshots fired in July 2020 sent a chilling message to the nation, one that the current pursuit of justice aims to decisively counter.
