Dwayne Pelagio

Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma has been detained in the United States (US) for alleged money laundering and human rights violations.

Photo Courtesy of Inquirer.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Sec. Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a chance interview with reporters on Nov. 18 that Garma violated the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act passed in 2016 on sanctions imposed on human rights violations and corruption anywhere in the world.

“Magnitsky Act ‘yan eh. They’re actually after her properties which she stored there, her money laundering activities, and of course, the human rights violations that were part of the Magnitsky Act,” Remulla told reporters in the interview.

The justice secretary mentioned in his statement that he would tap the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and use the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (MLAT) between the Philippines and the US to bring Garma back to the country.

“I am asking the Immigration people to do the formal work. We have the MLAT, we will work this out,” he stated during the interview.

Remulla added that they will bring back Garma “as soon as possible.”

The PH-US MLAT requires the parties to provide mutual assistance in connection with the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal offenses, and proceedings related to criminal matters.

Garma is currently being investigated by Philippine authorities over her alleged involvement in the murder of Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

The former PCSO chief revealed during the House quadcomm hearing that former president Rodrigo Duterte called her to find a police officer that is a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo to implement the “Davao model” nationwide.

The “Davao model” is a system of rewards given to police officers for killing drug suspects.

The former president later denied these allegations.