Two of the five accused of murder of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga voluntarily surrendered to authorities, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Wednesday.
According to the NBI, the two suspects, Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza and former police officer Nelson Mariano ‘expressed their intention to surrender to the NBI’ after they learned about the arrest warrant issued by a Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court.
Mariano voluntarily surrendered to the NBI’s Organized and Transnational Crime Division in Manila on September 29, while Mendoza did the same upon the implementation of his arrest warrant in Bacolod City on September 30.
The arrest warrants were issued after corroborating the details of a House quad committee hearing and the findings of the NBI and Philippine National Police joint (PNP) investigation.
In the quad committee hearing on September 27, Mariano and Mendoza confessed to their involvement in the murder of Barayuga in July 2020.
While on his way home from the PCSO headquarters, police reported that Barayuga was shot by gunmen on a motorcycle around 3:30 p.m. at the corner of Calbayog and Malinaw Streets in Brgy. Highway Hills.
In the hearing, Mendoza said that it was PCSO General Manager Royina Marzan Garma and National Police Commission (Napolcom) Chairman Edilberto dela Cruz Leonardo who ordered the assassination of Barayuga.
Shortly after, a recommendation to charge Garma, Leonardo, Mendoza, Mariano, and Jeremy Zapata Causapin, alias ‘Toks,’ of murder and frustrated murder were made. This is where the arrest warrants are based.
The PNP, on Tuesday, formed teams to track down the three remaining suspects