GMA urged to raise reward for Boratong capture to P2 M

A congressman has urged President Arroyo to raise from P500,000 to P2 million the reward for information leading to the capture of Amin Imam Boratong, the alleged operator of the dismantled shabu "tiangge" in Pasig City.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Roque Ablan, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, said the same amount should be offered for the capture of Boratong’s wife, Memie, who witnesses claimed was involved in his drug peddling operations.

Boratong went into hiding after a Pasig judge issued last July 11 an arrest warrant against him and his second wife, Sheryl, for maintaining the drug den.

To hasten their arrest, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno offered a P500,000 reward for the capture of Boratong and P300,000 for Sheryl.

Memie, allegedly the drug syndicate’s business manager, has no pending warrant. She reportedly joined her husband in hiding at one of the enclaves of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Lanao del Sur.

In his one-page letter to the Chief Executive dated Sept. 18, Ablan cited the need to raise the reward money for the capture of Boratong and his wife, Memie, based on the statement of government witness, Samer Palao, 37.

Palao, the former right hand man of Boratong, claimed his boss used to carry at least P1 million cash each time he travels in Metro Manila.

"Sinabi niya sa akin na nagdadala siya ng P1 milyon sa kotse niya para panlagay sa mga pulis na gustong humuli sa kanya. Kapag nasita daw siya, aabutan na kaagad niya ng P100,000 at tiyak walang sabi-sabing pakawalan siya," Palao said. "Kaya siguro hindi siya nahuhuli hanggang sa ngayon dahil ginagamit niya ang pera niya."

Apart from raising the reward money, Ablan asked the President to request the Supreme Court to transfer the litigation of the kidnapping charges filed against Palao in Marawi City to the National Capital Region (NCR).

He also appealed to Mrs. Arroyo to advise the GRP-MILF panels to turnover Boratong to the custody of the government and for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to enlist Palao to the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Palao surfaced four months after government agents raided the shabu tiangge located along F. Soriano street in Sitio Mapayapa, Barangay Sto. Tomas on Feb. 10.

He said Boratong offered him millions to remain loyal to the syndicate and retract his statements to police investigators.