P5 M could silence my accuser - Boratong

Alleged Pasig City shabu flea market operator Amin Imam Boratong claimed the root cause of his trouble with his brother-accuser is P5 million.

Breaking his long silence on the charges against him, Boratong said it was not him but his brother, Samer Palao, who operated the raided shabu “tiangge” in Pasig City.

Boratong said Palao is doing everything to make him pay the P5 million his brother lost when government agents raided the shabu “tiangge” on F. Soriano street, Mapayapa Compound in Barangay Sto. Tomas last Feb. 10, 2006.

“He held hostage my family and even kidnapped and murdered my brother-in-law just for him to get back his money,” he told The Star in an interview.

Boratong and his second wife, Sheryl Molera, are facing maintenance of a drug den charges before the chamber of Judge Abraham Borreta, of the Pasig City regional trial court (RTC) Branch 154.

Serving as a government witness, Palao claimed that Boratong raked in millions of pesos from his illegal business under the very noses of local policemen.

The prosecution also presented as among its evidence a P5 million check which Palao said was issued to him by Boratong in exchange for his withdrawing as a government witness.

The Star tried to interview Boratong several times but his lawyer, Raymond Fortun, refused.

But during the continuation of the hearing last Thursday, Fortun relented but stressed that Boratong should not be forced to answer questions if he refuses to do so.

Interviewed in the presence of his armed escorts from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Boratong said Palao suspected him of tipping off government agents who raided his shabu den.

Right after the raid, Boratong said Palao held his family hostage in Pasig City demanding that he pay him P5 million for the loss he incurred because of the raid.

“I told my wife, Memie to issue a check and he released my family after receiving the money,” said Boratong.

When pressed why the check was still in Palao’s possession, Boratong said his accuser failed to have it encashed because he was beaten to the draw by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), which have frozen his at least P900 million assets.

“The root cause of our problem is this P5 million,” said Boratong as he also expressed sadness over the continued denial of Palao that they were brothers.

However, Pacaambung Macabando, provincial prosecutor of Lanao del Sur, testified last Thursday that Palao has confided to him that he and Boratong are brothers.

Boratong said Palao also shot dead last July 6, 2006 his brother-in-law, Cadar Hadji Salam, and again demanded P5 million from him in exchange for his freedom.

“He also took my brother-in-law hostage and shot him dead after I failed to hand over the P5 million,” he said.

Palao is presently facing kidnapping with murder charges filed by Salam’s sister, Piangne Hadji Salam in Marawi City.

Macabando has issued a resolution filing the kidnapping with murder case against Palao before the court.

Boratong said Palao went into hiding in the mountains, where he was fetched by former Pasig City police chief Senior Superintendent Francisco Uyami Jr.

He said the court in Marawi City issued an arrest warrant against Palao on July 13, a day before the he appeared before the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file a case against him.

Fortun had already presented 11 witnesses for the defense and he is debating whether to present or not Boratong as his 16th witness. – Non Alquitran