NBI to ask Interpol for help in bringing Garma back to PH

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday said it would seek the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to compel former Police Col. Royina Garma to return to the country and face charges of murder and frustrated murder over the 2020 killing of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Wesley Barayuga.

According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, the investigating team has already reached out to Interpol agents in the country, who would relay the matter to counterparts in Malaysia, where Garma is presumed to have been staying since leaving the Philippines on Sept. 7.

“We will coordinate with Interpol. And Malaysia has been cooperative with us… we would let them know that Garma has a standing warrant of arrest against her,” Santiago told a news briefing.

READ: Garma, 4 others face arrest over ex-PCSO exec slay

He noted that the Interpol agents in the Philippines would be the ones who would coordinate with various law enforcement agencies, including Interpol. 

Branch 279 of Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court has issued a warrant of arrest against Garma, former National Police Commission (Napolcom) chair Edilberto Leonardo, Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza, as well as former police officers Nelson Mariano and Jeremie Causapin for the killing of Barayuga on July 30, 2020.

On Wednesday, NBI presented Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza and former police officer Nelson Mariano, who are both in custody of the bureau after they surrendered to authorities last month and confessed their role in the killing.

READ: Royina Garma left PH for Malaysia as a tourist – Immigration

The two allegedly served as “middlemen” between the hitman and implicated Garma and Leonardo as the masterminds in the murder, NBI said. /dl