A SELF-confessed police informant has made explosive allegations against former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Royina Garma, accusing her of orchestrating the assassination of former police general Wesley Barayuga, a fellow PCSO official, in 2020.
Nelson Mariano executed a sworn statement narrating in detail of his involvement in the execution of Barayuga’s murder, allegedly upon the direct orders of Garma, who was then PCSO general manager.
Garma was implicated by at least four Quad Comm resource persons as the individual who reportedly relayed instructions to execute three suspected Chinese drug lords inside the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in 2016, at the onset of the previous administration’s bloody drug war.
The killings implicated former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who allegedly congratulated Supt. Gerardo Padilla, the former warden of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, through a phone call after self-confessed hitmen Leopoldo “Tata” Tan Jr. and Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro murdered three suspected Chinese drug lords Chu Kin Tung, Li Lan Yan and Wong Meng Pin inside the prison.
Mariano recounts that in February 2020, he was contacted by Police Maj. Santie Mendoza who informed him of a “special project” that required assassinating Barayuga, who was described as a “verified drug personality.”
He said he initially hesitated but was persuaded when Mendoza mentioned that the order came from a high-ranking official.
“Ayon kay Sir Mendoza, ang subject ay nagngangalang Wesley Barayuga na isang opisyal ng PCSO at may nakalaang pondong P300,000,” Mariano revealed.
Mariano’s affidavit details how he was tasked with finding a reliable hitman to carry out the assassination.
“Sinabihan ako ni Sir Mendoza na humanap ng maasahang hitman at mag-report ako sa kanya sa oras na makahanap ako ng tao,” he said.
Due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, locating someone took time, but by June 2020, Mariano had secured the services of a known hitman named “Loloy,” through the assistance of PLT Adrian Binalay.
“Si ‘Loloy’ ang siyang na-recruit ko para gawin ang trabaho,” Mariano said.
As the plan progressed, Mariano received further instructions from a man named “Toks”, whom he later found out was also working for Garma.
Mariano and Toks met near the PCSO office in Mandaluyong, where Toks provided vital details about Barayuga, including his appearance and vehicle information.
“Ang lahat ng iyon kabilang ang mga litrato ng subject na si Wesley Barayuga ay ipinasa sa akin ni ‘Toks,’” said Mendoza.
By July 30, 2020, Mariano said he was given the final details needed to execute the assassination, including the plate number of Barayuga’s vehicle, a white pickup truck.
Mariano immediately forwarded this information to Loloy, who was waiting to carry out the hit. That same day, Barayuga was gunned down by “riding-in-tandem” assassins in Mandaluyong City.
The affidavit claims that the day after the assassination, Mariano met with Toks in a parking lot near the PCSO office to receive the payment for the operation.
“Matapos ang trabaho, tinanggap ko ang P300,000 mula kay ‘Toks’, at mula doon, itinabi ko ang P60,000 para sa akin at P40,000 para kay Sir Mendoza,” Mariano stated.
The remaining P200,000 was delivered to Loloy for executing the murder.
Mariano expressed regret in the affidavit but clarified that he was only following orders.
He explained how Mendoza reassured him that this was a “special operation” allegedly authorized by Garma herself.
“Ang utos daw ay mula kay GM Royina Garma, ayon kay Sir Mendoza,” he added.
Mariano also said his sworn statement was given freely and without coercion.
“Ginawa ko ang salaysay na ito upang ilahad ang buong katotohanan batay sa aking kaalaman,” he declared.
The killings of the Chinese prisoners, as corroborated by several witnesses, are cited as evidence of the widespread extrajudicial killings (EJK) linked to the controversial anti-drug campaign.
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