‘Shabu tiangge’ operator amassed P900 M in 5 years — AIDSOTF

In a period of five years, the operator of the raided drug "tiangge" in Pasig City amassed at least P900 million in assets and properties, police said yesterday.

The assets and properties of Amin Imam Boratong and his wife Memie, including a fleet of expensive cars, were discovered by police based on documents seized during a raid at the shabu tiangge in Barangay Mapayapa last Feb. 10.

Memie was among the more than 300 people charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the drug raid, but no warrant has been issued for her arrest, said Superintendent Eduardo Acierto, executive officer of the police Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF).

Earlier, Judge Abraham Borreta, of Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 154 ordered the arrest of Boratong and his second wife, Sheryl. No bail was recommended against them.

To hasten the arrest of Boratong and Sheryl, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno offered an P800,000 reward for information leading to their capture.

Boratong allegedly went into hiding at one of the enclaves of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) after eluding arrest from a team of Pasig policemen, Marines and the Special Action Force in Lanao del Sur last August.

Acierto said Boratong arrived by boat in Metro Manila in 1997 and engaged in small-time drug peddling in Pasig City.

"His big break came in the 2004 elections when big-time drug lords operating in Metro Manila went back to their home provinces and ran for elective posts," he said. "Boratong had the shabu business all to himself."

A big number of the Muslim drug lords lost their bid in the local polls, along with millions they earned in the illegal drug business.

When the drug lords returned to Metro Manila, Boratong had already earned millions during their absence. Those who tried to re-start their operation now had to turn to Boratong for their supply of shabu.

From 2004 to this year, AIDSOTF records showed that Boratong acquired a silver Hummer worth P4.5 million, a black Cadillac priced at P6.8 million, a white BMW (P2.5 million), a yellow BMW (P3.9 million), a white Toyota Prado (P3.6 million), a green Nissan X-Trail (P1.9 million), a green Mitsubishi Adventure (P650,000) and a blue Toyota Corolla (P620,000).

The fleet of vehicles was registered under the name of Boratong and his wife Memie, AIDSOTF said.

Boratong also has millions in bank deposits under the name of his drivers and close relatives.

Among the properties traced to Boratong and Memie were the 2,000 square-meter lot housing the shabu tiangge on F. Soriano street which was purchased for P12 million in 2005, two mansions at subdivisions in Pasig (P25 million), two condo units in San Juan (P4.5 million each), a three-story residential building in Pasig City (P3 million), two rice mills in Bulacan (P58 million), a 14-door town houses in Iligan City (P25 million) and a four-storey dormitory also in Iligan City (P15 million).

"We are digging for additional assets and properties belonging to Boratong and his wife for the government to seize them," an AIDSOTF official said.