Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said the government will continue pursuing justice in the 2020 killing of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga, even if former police colonel Royina Garma becomes a witness in the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Barayuga was gunned down in July 2020 in Mandaluyong City. In September 2024, Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza of the Philippine National Police–Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-PDEG) alleged the killing was an assassination, claiming National Police Commission Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo and Garma wanted Barayuga dead over his supposed involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Remulla said Garma, now a potential ICC witness, will also be called to testify in the Barayuga case. “Technically, if you call the whistleblower out, she’s under our protection already. So we will have to evaluate everything again,” he said.

“The Wesley Barayuga case is equally important. We cannot go along with this unserved. So we will possibly get there. But she will be testifying here, also. She has our paper to testify,” he said.

Remulla stressed that while Garma’s testimony before the ICC is important, her testimony in local proceedings is equally crucial.

He also confirmed that the ICC had reached out to Garma to testify in proceedings related to the case against Duterte.

In November 2024, Garma flew to the United States after confirming the existence of Duterte’s Davao Death Squad and drug war rewards. She returned to the Philippines from California on 6 Sept.

“The ICC has been asking Royina Garma about making her available to be a witness in the case… So at that time, she was still applying for asylum, but was denied,” Remulla said.

The justice chief said Garma is covered by an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order but has no pending warrant of arrest. He added that the government allowed her to travel to Malaysia for a meeting with ICC representatives.

“If she’s going to be a witness to the ICC, we have to say that our working relationship with the ICC involves witness protection. And the best way to protect her is by waiting for the ICC to meet her abroad. Because her life can be in danger in our country,” Remulla said.