Santi Mendoza, Nelson Mariano now under NBI custody

Police Lieutenant Colonel Santi Mendoza and former police officer Nelson Mariano are now under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Director Jaime Santiago said Wednesday.

A Mandaluyong court issued an arrest warrant against them and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma in connection to the death of PCSO Board Secretary Wesley Barayuga back in September.

Santiago said Mariano surrendered on September 29, while Mendoza surrendered on September 30 in Bacolod.

“Nung malaman nga ni Colonel Santi Mendoza na meron nang warrant of arrest, he voluntarily called up the NBI… and sinabi niya na willing siya sumuko,” he said.

(When Colonel Santi Mendoza found out that there was a warrant of arrest, he voluntarily called up the NBI and said he was willing to surrender.) 

“Pinuntahan sila para ma-custody kaya nandito na sila ngayon,” he added.

(We went to get custody of them, so they are here now.)

Santiago said the NBI will return the arrest warrant back to the court.

“We will wait kung anong— saan ikukulong. Pero in the meantime, nandito sa amin sila,” he said.

(We will wait on where they will be convicted, but they will stay here in the meantime.)

He said that the camp of Mendoza and Mariano may seek their discharge to become state witnesses.

Garma, meanwhile, left for Malaysia as a tourist in September. 

According to Santiago, the NBI will coordinate with the International Criminal Police Organization for Garma’s return to the country.

“Ang Malaysia naman ay cooperative sa atin, ang authorities there cooperative naman sa atin. Kapag nalaman nila na meron nang warrant of arrest against her, maaring arestuhin nila and then communicate with us na ito, nakuha na namin. Sunduin niyo na dito,” he said.

(Malaysia, on the other hand, is cooperative with us, the authorities there are cooperative with us. Once they learn that there is already a warrant of arrest against her, they may arrest her and then communicate with us that she has been caught. You can come and fetch her here.)

Santiago said he talked to Garma before she left.

“Kinausap ko siya bakit siya aalis, natatakot ba siya. Mas prinefer niya na mag punta sa Malaysia at ime-meet niya daw doon ang ICC and will give a statement,” he said.

(I talked to her, asking why she would leave and if she was afraid. She preferred to go to Malaysia and said she would meet the ICC there and give a statement.)

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said last month that Garma may become a witness for the ICC in the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

During hearings of the House Quad Committee on the drug war,  Garma claimed that Duterte asked her to look for an officer to implement the Davao model of the drug war on a national scale.

This has been denied by Duterte.

Santiago, meanwhile, advised Garma to return to the country and face the charges against her.

Barayuga was shot dead in Mandaluyong City in July 2020, while his driver sustained injuries. —VAL, GMA Integrated News