ILIGAN City ― “Interesting” hardly captures the gravity of it. The story of Police Colonel Santie Mendoza, as it unfolded in the investigation into the 2020 killing of Atty. Wesley Barayuga, is more than that—it’s shocking, blood-curdling, and deeply unsettling.
Mendoza, testifying before the House of Representatives, revealed that he was ordered to target Barayuga, the board secretary of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). This directive, according to him, came from two powerful figures: former PCSO manager Ret. Col. PNP Royina Garma and National Police Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo. Mendoza claimed that he complied out of fear for his life and his family’s safety.
It all began in 2018, when Mendoza first conspired with a certain Mr. Mariano, leading to the assignment of a man known only as "Loloy" to carry out the murder. Vehicles were provided to various PCSO departments, including Barayuga’s. One of these vehicles, Mendoza said, was the one given to Loloy, setting the stage for the assassination.
In July 2020, the plan was executed. Barayuga was killed, and during his wake, witnesses say Garma expressed outrage, reportedly asking why only one person had died in the attack—Barayuga’s driver was injured but survived.
As expected, both Garma and Leonardo denied any involvement, claiming they hardly knew Mendoza. Yet, it became clear that the two were close allies of then-President Rodrigo Duterte, raising questions about political motivations behind the killing. Barayuga’s conflict with Garma and Leonardo allegedly stemmed from disagreements over the Small Town Lottery, an issue with financial and political stakes.
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV offered his take on Mendoza’s revelations, suggesting that this truth came to light due to the shifting political climate. He likened it to the confessions of other key figures, like Police Col. Jovie Espenido and former Davao hitman Arturo Lascañas, who also came forward with damning allegations after experiencing their own moral reckoning.
Lascañas, now in hiding and under limited witness protection from the International Criminal Court, explained that his change of heart came after a serious illness. He no longer wanted to take his dark secrets to the grave.
What can we learn from all this? It’s clear that political “climate change” is real—and just as unpredictable and dangerous as the environmental kind. The revelations we’re witnessing now show the devastating consequences of unchecked power and the lengths some will go to maintain it.
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