Pasig shabu tiangge reopens

MANILA, Philippines - Relatives of convicted shabu “tiangge” Amin Imam Boratong have reportedly reopened the drug flea market – located 50 meters away from the Pasig City hall – that was shut down by police in 2006, an official said yesterday.

Police officers raided Boratong’s house and two other houses in Mapayapa Compound Sunday afternoon and confiscated assorted high-powered firearms, ammunition, shabu and drug paraphernalia, Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel said yesterday.

Boratong’s nephews – Acsamen Amer “Mac-Mac” Boratong and Aleman “Boy Negro” Boratong  – and Joey “Jeremiah” Mamon who were targets of the raid appeared to have been forewarned and escaped, Laurel said.

Senior Superintendent Danilo Maligalig, EPD deputy chief for operations, said they recovered several sachets of shabu from parked motorcycles. He said they believe the shabu was intended for delivery to clients.

Boratong’s relatives are reportedly behind the proliferation of illegal drugs in Pasig and in neighboring cities. The gang reportedly sells a gram of shabu for P5,000 to P6,000, Laurel said.

Maligalig said they are also investigating reports that the gang is behind the rash of killings in Pasig City. Most of the victims are the Boratong nephews’ rival drug pushers, he added.

Tipoff

Laurel said an informant volunteered information about the Boratong’s nephew’s illegal business and brought with him as evidence Mamon’s Facebook post showing him carrying an AK-47 assault rifle.

Superintendent Remus Medina, EPD intelligence chief, said it took them at least a month to confirm reports that Boratong’s gang members are back in business.

Upon securing a search warrant from Judge Marino dela Cruz of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 22, Medina said at least 124 police officers staged the raid Sunday.

Medina said the Mapayapa Compound was equipped with a surveillance camera system that alerted the Boratongs to the presence of the police.

Mac-Mac’s house was empty but police officers found three bottles of liquor, still cold, in the living room.

“They were drinking liquor when we arrived. They appeared to notice our arrival through the surveillance camera,” Maligalig said.

Police officers recovered from the houses of Boratong and Boy Negro an AK-47 assault rifle, a 9mm submachine pistol, a Llama caliber .45 pistol, assorted bullets, several sachets of shabu, drug paraphernalia, two handheld radios, a smoke bomb, binoculars, an improvised explosive device, and four cell phones.

Protection money?

Laurel ordered an investigation into reports that Boratong’s gang shell out P50,000 weekly protection money to their “police contacts.”

Government agents raided the shabu tiangge in 2006 and arrested more than 100 people and confiscated at least 300 grams of shabu.

Boratong and his second wife, Sheryl Molera, were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Pasig RTC Branch 154.

Government witness Samer Palao claimed that it was at Boratong’s house, which he said they called “Malacañang Palace,” where all proceeds of the drug business were brought and counted by at least 20 people.