Complainant offers to advance Palao’s expenses

The complainant in the kidnapping with murder charges filed against government witness Samer Palao has offered to pay in advance the P204,000 intended for his and his escorts’ travel expenses from Pasig City to the provincial jail in Lanao del Sur.

In his order dated Oct. 6, Judge Santos Adiong, of Lanao del Sur Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 8, said complainant Piangne Hadji Salam volunteered to advance the money for the speedy commitment of Palao to the provincial jail.

In an urgent ex-parte manifestation and motion dated Oct. 4, Salam’s counsel Macarupung Dibaratun said his client offered to shell out the cash needed for travel and transportation expenses.

Adiong granted the manifestation and motion of Dibaratun after finding it to be meritorious. He earlier directed Inspector Reynaldo Ramos and Senior Inspector Lorenzo Trajano to transport the living body of Palao to the provincial jail for proper commitment.

Adiong said the travel expenses of Palao and his escorts would be computed on the basis of the requested funding from the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He also tasked Dibaratun, the RTC clerk of court and ex-officio provincial sheriff to transact with Ramos and Trajano for the delivery of the money.

Earlier, Senior Superintendent Francisco Uyami Jr., Pasig City police chief requested a budget of P204,000 from the PNP so that Palao could be presented before Judge Adiong.

As of yesterday, there has been no word if the money was released by PNP headquarters at Camp Crame.

Uyami could not be reached for comment on Adiong’s latest order.

Palao has been accused of abducting and killing Salam’s younger brother, Cadar Hadji Salam in Lumba-Bayabao, Lanao del Sur last July 6. He was arrested by the Pasig City police last Sept. 6.

Palao claimed he was being linked to the killing apparently to stop him from testifying against Amin Imam Boratong, the alleged operator of the dismantled shabu "tiangge" in Pasig City.

Palao surfaced some four months after government agents raided the shabu tiangge located in Sitio Mapayapa in Barangay Sto. Tomas last Feb. 10.

He revealed to investigators the extent of Boratong’s alleged shabu peddling operation.

Palao noted that the first warrant of arrest against him was issued last July 13 and was recalled last Aug. 16 after his lawyer filed a motion for reinvestigation.

Another warrant was issued on Aug. 30 some six days before his scheduled appearance at Manila RTC Branch 33. The hearing involved the seizure of at least P900 million in assets and properties belonging to Boratong.

At the courtroom, elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) tried to arrest Palao, who was then escorted by heavily-armed agents from the Special Action Force (SAF), Pasig City police and Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF).

Cooler heads prevented a shootout among lawmen, Palao said.