By Jennifer P. Rendon
A niece of a murdered official of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and former chief of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) slammed insinuations that her uncle’s death was due to the illegal drug trade.
In a Facebook post, Mikee Nazal did not contain her frustrations over reports linking Police Brigadier General Wesley Barayuga to the narcotics trade.
Barayuga, who was also a lawyer, was a former director of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) some 15 years back and the board secretary of PCSO at the time of his killing last week.
Although a native of Nueva Ecija, his family has settled in Iloilo province.
Barayuga was on his way home from his office in Mandaluyong City around 3:30 p.m. on July 30, 2020 when a motorcycle-riding suspect shot him. His driver, Jun Gunao, was injured but survived the incident.
“We did not know how it unfolded exactly. We relied on breaking news and updates and phone calls in the first hours. Later on we would learn from the autopsy report, CCTV footage, and the police that it was professionally done and… well, planned. We had more questions than answers. And still, more questions,” Nazal said.
“The NBI later stated that Tito was cooperating as a witness to investigations of corruption in the PCSO. It’s not difficult to connect the dots,” she said.
Nazal said that Barayuga was a good a man.
“A proper look at his track record, career, lifestyle, and a collection of accounts from those who knew him and worked with him from all walks of life, would echo the same. He had a good work ethic and brought criminals to justice. According to one eulogy, he chose “Public Servant” over any other work title. According to another, for someone in the military and police field, tito Wesley was non-confrontational. He would rather leave the room than let a debate escalate,” she said.
Nazal has hit “hurtful inaccuracy” in the news claiming that Barayuga’s name is on the narco-list.
“If the list exists then it is false. We, his family, find such a slander so incredulous, it only adds insult to injury,” she said.
Nazal added, “my tito was a good man and he was killed by evil people. He died unjustly. The years he could have lived was stolen from him and his family. I do not know how to grieve such a death but I do know that there will be a reckoning. Justice will come in more ways than one.”
Nazal has also underscored the unjust killings happening in our country.
“Do not be desensitized. Do not stop being angry. Do not stop fighting this system that perpetuates senseless violence and impunity. If you are to grieve with us, then be angry with us. If you are to pray for us, pray for justice,” she said.
National Capital Region Police Office chief Police Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas, who has been criticized for his “mañanita” or birthday bash amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, earlier claimed that Barayuga had been found to be on the President Rodrigo Duterte’s “narco-list.”
But apart from pointing to the alleged narco-list, Sinas did not present proof to support his claim.
Barayuga also got his classmates’ backing after members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1983 rebutted Sinas’ claim.
A statement posted on the Viber group chat of PMA Class 1983 said “Wesley (Barayuga) was never in any list before. Sinas must explain where he got that so-called list. Wesley is a simple man with integrity and honor. He did not enrich himself in the police service and even at the PCSO as Compliance Officer and Board Corporate Secretary.”
The group added that Barayuga even went to office regularly using public transport (MRT, bus and jeepney) with his computer backpack. It was only from ECQ, to MECQ and GCQ period that he was forced to avail of the office red-plated pick-up vehicle that transports him to and from office during these recent working days.
“He was never involved in drugs, not in any period of his entire career. Was that sudden drug issue a smoke screen to cover up the orchestrated murder of a man filled with integrity and honor who works by the book and conscience? I know him very well to be such.”
They revealed that Barayuga wanted to resign even prior to the pandemic to be able to go home and stay with his family in Iloilo but was requested by the PCSO chairman to stay and help him in the board.
“Wesley does his job with integrity and cannot be swayed to do wrongful acts,” the statement added.
Further, “it is best for people to know who Sinas is in Cebu before and at NCRPO now and who the investigators are from Mandaluyong. (It’s) maybe helpful to know their backgrounds. And people should know if Sinas has any connection with any top official at PCSO. Better to know Sinas’ background in Cebu. Why is he now wrongly implicating Wesley to any suspected amended drug list which is really a surprise, coming from nowhere,” PMA Class ‘83 added.
Further, “everything said, Wesley is surely an honorable man and an outstanding family man. The truth cannot be twisted in the end.”
DISCIPLINED, HUMBLE MAN
Nazal also described Barayuga as a simple person.
“He was disciplined, fit, and extraordinarily simple despite his career & status. He went to church on Sundays. He rode the LRT and tricycle to work before the ECQ,” she said.
Nazal said she last saw Barayuga during a family lunch last November 2019 to celebrate her mother’s retirement.
“I moved his backpack from the seat he was saving for any of us who were just arriving,” she narrated.
“I recognised the same backpack as we brought home his personal effects last July 30. I removed his ‘baon’ so they wouldn’t spill or spoil inside, and organised his things including his shoes and umbrella, the best that I can.”
TASK GROUP
The Eastern Police District (EPD) has activated a special investigation task group (SITG) to dig deeper into Barayuga’s murder.
Police Colonel Hector Grijaldo, Mandaluyong City police chief, said they would just be part of the task group that would be led by Colonel Wilson Joseph Lopez, EPD deputy director for operations.
Grijaldo, who spoke in a mix of Hiligaynon, Bisaya, and English, said in a telephone interview that there’s a big possibility that the motive of the killing is work-related.
“Halin sya sa trabaho. How come na pattern siya?” he said.
Grijaldo said they coordinated with the PCSO management already and were given clearance to conduct the gathering of statements among PCSO employees.
“We gathered the statements sang mga upod ni Sir sa office. Apparently, there was a board meeting on that day. We also asked what was discussed and who were present during that time,” he said.
For now, Grijaldo said they are more on the technical side of the investigation.
“We’re gathering also CCTV footages to help in identifying the suspects. Although gina-consider ang tanan nga angle of the incident, but for now dira pa lang kami,” he said.
Grijaldo also confirmed reports that Barayuga had deaths threats prior to the incident.
On the day the killing happened, Barayuga left the office at 3:00 p.m., earlier than the usual time of 6:00 p.m. that he leaves the office.
“Natingala ang mga upod nya sa office. Ginlagas pa sya gani kay may pirmahan sya,” he said.
Grijaldo said they hope to stumble into a breakthrough during the investigation.
