Police officer believed involved in Barayuga murder missing

MANILA, Philippines — A police officer who allegedly played a role in the murder of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga in 2020 is missing.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has started operations to locate and secure Jeremy Causapin, a police sergeant and security detail of former PCSO general manager Royina Garma. A witness at a House of Representatives quad committee inquiry had tagged Garma as the mastermind of Barayuga’s murder.

PNP public information officer Col. Jean Fajardo said Causapin, also known as Toks, was relieved from his post at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

She said Causapin was nowhere to be found when operatives visited his house and were met by his wife, who gave them his letter of resignation from the police force.

“We have to make it clear that even if he has resigned, this is no reason for him not to be investigated and tracked down,” Fajardo said at a news briefing at Camp Crame.

Based on revelations from the quad comm’s public hearing, Fajardo said Causapin was the one who gave P300,000 to a certain Nelson Mariano, one of the people who allegedly took part in Barayuga’s murder.

A former anti-narcotics officer, Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza, tagged Garma and National Police Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo as the ones who orchestrated Barayuga’s murder in Mandaluyong City on July 30, 2020.

The PNP also relieved Col. Roland Vilela, Garma’s ex-husband, from the Information Technology Management Service and reassigned him to the personnel holding and accounting unit of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management.