MEMBERS of the Philippine Military Academy’s Matikas Class of 1983 on Sunday praised the leaders and members of the Lower House’s Quad Committee for their legislative inquiry that finally identified the alleged masterminds and perpetrators in the murder of their “mistah” Wesley Barayuga on July 30, 2020 in Mandaluyong City.
Retired Air Force Col. Enrique J. Dela Cruz, PMA Class 1983 president, said Quadcom’s persistent efforts and incisive line of questioning have given light and hope for the successful resolution of Barayuga’s tragic assassination four years ago.
“Such service and commitment to deliver justice and righteous acts as you do today give us confidence that our nation is indeed represented by wise, courageous and honorable men. It may not bring our dear Wesley back but it is reassuring that there are people in government who are doing their best to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.
“(And) in behalf of the family of our dear Mistah, we also convey our profound gratitude for the identification of the assailants,” he added.
For his part, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, overall chairman of Quadcom and chair of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, expressed thanks to the members of the PMA Matikas Class of 1983 for their full trust and confidence to the solons comprising the Quadcom panel.
“First of all, I thank the PMA Class 1983 members for their trust and confidence to the Quadcom leaders and members. On behalf of Quadcom, I would like to assure you that we would dig to the bottom of Wesley’s case and ensure that all the people who conspired in his murder are punished under all our applicable laws,” the lawmaker from Mindanao said.
During last Friday’s seventh Quadcom hearing held at the Lower House in Quezon City, active-duty Police Lt. Col. Santie Fuentes Mendoza, presently assigned with the PNP Drug Enforcement Group Special Operations Unit, and his civilian anti-drug “asset” Nelson Mariano both testified that former PCSO general manager Royina Garma and Napolcom Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo have planned and funded the July 30, 2020 assassination of Barayuga.
Barayuga, who is a lawyer, a retired police general and former PCSO board secretary, was on his way home from his PCSO office on July 30, 2020 when he was shot four times at close range by one of two gunmen aboard separate motorbikes at the corner of Calbayog and Malinaw streets in Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City while traffic was at a standstill. His driver, who was hit once in the stomach, survived the incident.
Under incisive questioning by lawmakers, Mendoza narrated the details on when and how Barayuga’s assassination was hatched and implemented, with the promise of a reward money and “good trajectory of my career as a police officer.”
Mendoza’s statement was corroborated by his “asset” Mariano that an amount of P300,000 reward money, supposedly coming from the PCSO, was dangled to them for the kill, and the split was P40,000 for him; P60,000 for the civilian anti-drug “asset”; and P200,000 for the two gunmen, one of whom was identified only as a certain “Loloy.”
Barayuga was appointed PCSO board secretary on Jan. 24, 2018. Retired police general Anselmo Pinili, also a member of PMA Matikas Class of 1983, was appointed PCSO chairman of the board on January 24, 2018. Both Barayuga and Pinili served under their PMA classmate Maj. Gen. Alexander Balutan who was PCSO general manager at that time.
Balutan, appointed as PCSO GM on September 13, 2016, was unceremoniously fired by Duterte on March 8, 2019 and was replaced by Garma, who still have 10 years before her retirement from police service, on July 15, 2019.
At the time of Barayuga’s assassination, retired Army general Eduardo Ano, also a member of the PMA Class 1983, was the sitting Department of the Interior and Local Government secretary and this have put much pressure on him to work for the resolution of their ‘mistah’s” death.
Of the 198 PMA Class 1983 graduates, 69 were originally assigned to the Philippine Army, 65 to the Philippine Constabulary, 29 to Philippine Navy and 30 to the Philippine Air Force. Six went to various US Service Academies. Four of them became AFP’s chiefs of staff.
On Oct, 7, 2020, members of the PMA Matikas Class of 1983 placed an ad in a major newspaper offering a P1 million reward for anyone who could provide information that could lead to the arrest of those involved in Barayuga’s murder.
The House leadership led by Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte created the Quadcom, the first of its kind in the chamber’s history, to unite four House panels – Dangerous Drugs panel led by Barbers, Human Rights led by Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante, Public Order and Safety chaired by Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano and Public Accounts chaired by Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez– because they are separately conducting investigations on POGOs, EJKs and illegal drugs with same resource persons and with similar or interrelated subjects
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