CA upholds money laundering cases vs Boratong, wife

MANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the money laundering cases against convicted shabu flea market operator Amin Imam Boratong, his wife Memie and several others.

In a five-page resolution promulgated on July 10, the former Special Second Division of the appellate court denied the motions for reconsideration filed by the Boratongs and the other respondents for lack of merit.

The CA affirmed its decision last January.

The Pasig regional trial court and the Malolos RTC had dismissed the money laundering cases in 2013.

The CA held that the respondents failed to raise new arguments that would warrant the reversal of its ruling.

 The appellate court reiterated its finding that the RTCs violated the right of prosecutors to due process when they prematurely dismissed the cases.

The CA ruled that the lower courts curtailed the state’s right to due process by not giving the prosecutors the opportunity to present evidence or to amend the information.

 Anti-narcotics agents raided the shabu tiangge allegedly owned by the Boratong couple along F. Soriano street in Barangay Sto. Tomas in Pasig on Feb. 10, 2006.

The Boratongs were convicted of drug charges by a Pasig City court in 2009.

The CA affirmed the verdict in 2015.