In a dramatic turn of events that has gripped both the Philippine public and international observers, a Mandaluyong City court has issued a warrant of arrest for former police colonel and ex-Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma, along with four others, for the 2020 murder of PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga. The case, which has lain dormant for years, has resurfaced with a vengeance, drawing in high-profile figures and raising pressing questions about accountability, political power, and justice in the country.
According to Inquirer and Philippine Star, the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court Branch 279 on September 13, 2025, ordered the arrest of Garma, retired police officer Edilberto Leonardo, Jeremy Causapin, Santie Mendoza, and Nelson Mariano. The charges are nonbailable and include murder and frustrated murder, reflecting the gravity of the accusations. The warrant stems from the July 30, 2020, killing of Barayuga, a former police brigadier general and lawyer, who was gunned down in broad daylight by a motorcycle-riding assailant while on his way home in Mandaluyong. Barayuga's driver survived the attack, a detail that has proven crucial in piecing together the events of that day.
The case took a significant turn when Santie Mendoza, a member of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group, testified before the House quad committee investigating extrajudicial killings and the illegal drug trade. Mendoza alleged that between October 2019 and July 2020, Leonardo—then chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Davao—contacted him several times regarding a "special operation" targeting Barayuga, supposedly for his alleged involvement in illegal drugs. Mendoza said he interpreted "special operation" as an order to kill, claiming Leonardo told him the directive came directly from Garma. He further stated that he felt coerced into joining the plot due to Garma and Leonardo's strong backing from then-President Rodrigo Duterte and their seniority at the Philippine National Police Academy.
Both Garma and Leonardo have categorically denied Mendoza’s allegations, insisting they had never met him prior to the House inquiry. Their denials, however, have done little to quell public interest, especially given the broader context of the Duterte administration's controversial "war on drugs." In October 2024, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) revived the cold case into Barayuga’s killing, a move that set the stage for the recent arrest warrants.
Garma's story is particularly complex. After retiring from police service, she was appointed general manager of the PCSO by Duterte—a position that placed her at the heart of government operations. During House hearings, she revealed that the Duterte administration had implemented what she described as a "Davao template" reward system for police officers tasked with carrying out killings in the anti-drug campaign. This explosive testimony cast a harsh spotlight on the administration’s methods and added to Garma’s already controversial profile.
Her name has surfaced in other high-profile incidents as well. Garma was implicated in the 2016 killing of three convicted Chinese drug lords at the Davao prison, an event that occurred while she was still an active member of the police force. With accusations mounting and the political climate shifting, Garma sought asylum in the United States. Her application, however, was denied, and she was deported from Los Angeles earlier this month. Not one to remain idle, Garma quickly traveled to Malaysia, where she met with representatives of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a potential witness in the crimes against humanity case being prepared against Duterte.
According to NBI chief Jaime Santiago, Garma remained in Malaysia as of late September 2025. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicated that it may move to cancel her passport to ensure that local legal processes take precedence. DOJ spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano IV stated, "Local processes have to take precedence," signaling the government's intent to assert jurisdiction over Garma despite her international movements.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, however, struck a somewhat conciliatory tone, asserting that the arrest warrant would not affect Garma’s possible testimony before the ICC. "If she’s abroad now, then she wouldn’t be returning. She’ll go straight to The Hague," Remulla told reporters, referencing the ICC’s headquarters. He further explained that the government is providing some protection to Garma by allowing her to meet with the ICC in Malaysia, acknowledging that her life could be in danger should she return to the Philippines. Remulla also noted that negotiations between Garma, former senator Antonio Trillanes, and the ICC had been ongoing while she was in the United States, with the DOJ kept apprised of developments.
The Philippine National Police, for its part, has confirmed that among the three police officers implicated in the case, one has been dismissed from service, another is under the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit, and the third has resigned. The PNP is now coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to verify reports that some of the accused may have already left the country, according to PNP public information office chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuano.
Barayuga’s killing has become emblematic of the dangers faced by public officials in the Philippines, especially those caught up in the crosshairs of the nation’s war on drugs. The case also highlights the fraught intersection of law enforcement, politics, and personal loyalty—a web that has ensnared not only Garma and her co-accused but also the broader apparatus of state power. The allegations of a "reward system" and the invocation of a "Davao template" for extrajudicial killings have reignited debates about the legacy of Duterte’s presidency and the enduring impact of his policies on Philippine society.
For many observers, the developments surrounding Garma’s case are a litmus test for the Philippine justice system. Can the courts assert their independence in the face of political pressure? Will witnesses be protected, or will the cycle of impunity and retribution continue? The involvement of the ICC adds another layer of complexity, underscoring the international dimension of the search for accountability.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the nation—and indeed, much of the world—watches closely. The outcome of this case may well set a precedent for how the Philippines grapples with its turbulent recent history and the ongoing quest for justice in the aftermath of the Duterte era.
With the arrest warrants now issued and the eyes of both local and international communities fixed on the case, the next chapters in this unfolding drama promise to be as consequential as they are unpredictable.