2 suspects in PCSO exec murder surrender to NBI

Two suspects in the 2020 killing of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga, dismissed policeman Nelson Mariano and Santie Mendoza, have surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Mariano surrendered to the NBI Organized Transnational Crime Division on September 29, while Mendoza surrendered to the NBI's Iloilo office on September 30.

The NBI stated that Mariano and Mendoza's testimonies are valuable as they allegedly served as middlemen with direct links to the masterminds.

Both suspects are currently detained at the NBI facility in Manila and are represented by counsel.

A Mandaluyong court has issued arrest warrants for former PCSO general manager Royina Garma, former National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, and three other suspects, including Mariano and Mendoza, for Barayuga's murder.

The NBI is focusing on Garma, the alleged mastermind, who reportedly left the country.

Mendoza and Mariano previously testified before the House Quad Committee, admitting their participation and linking higher-ranking officers to the murder plot, which revived the cold case.