Boratong prefers jail with Atong Ang

Alleged drug trafficker Amim Imam Boratong, the alleged operator of the dismantled shabu tiangge in Pasig City, said he would rather join Charlie "Atong" Ang in his cell rather than be detained in a Pasig jail.

Boratong made his wish during his arraignment at the Pasig City Regional Trial Court last Wednesday.

He pleaded not guilty to drug charges. Judge Abraham Borreta, of Pasig Regional Court Branch 154, entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Boratong’s wife and co-accused, Sheryl Molera, who refused to give a plea.

Boratong fears that someone might make an attempt on his life to prevent him from implicating other people. Authorities, including the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), suspect that Boratong had government and police officials on his payroll. At least 21 police officers accused of coddling him are currently under investigation.

"It must be somewhere else and not in Pasig City," said Boratong’s lawyer, Raymund Fortun. "My client would rather be jailed with Atong Ang in Camp Bagong Diwa than in Pasig City, where it is very dangerous there as far as my client is concerned."

Ang is facing plunder charges along with detained and former President Joseph Estrada.

He was extradited from the United States last month and is currently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Fortun and lawyer Edwin dela Cruz, who represents Molera, have earlier asked Borreta to order their client’s continued detention at the NBI.

Fortun suggested that Boratong be detained at Camp Bagong Diwa if the NBI headquarters in Manila was too far.

When it was explained to him that Pasig’s jail facility in Barangay Nagpayong is being run by the BJMP and not the Pasig City police, Fortun stressed that his client still felt that it wasn’t safe.

Fortun reiterated that the Pasig City police are biased against his client. He pointed out that on July 17 a team from the National Capital Regional Police Office wanted to take Samer Palao, the government’s main witness against Boratong, into custody following an arrest warrant issued by a court in Marawi City.

But Pasig police chief Senior Superintendent Francisco Uyami Jr. refused, Fortun said, citing a report submitted by Senior Superintendent Raul Medina, former head of the Regional Intelligence and Detective Management (RIDM) to support his claim.

Medina was then chief of the Pasig police when government agents raided Boratong’s shabu tiangge on Feb. 10. He was one of the ranking police officials relieved following the raid.

Fortun added that officers of the Pasig City police likewise refused to turn Palao over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police following a warrant from a Manila court.

De la Cruz said Molera also wanted to remain at the NBI, fearing that her life was in danger.

City prosecutor Conrado Tolentino made no objection to Boratong and Molera’s continued detention at the NBI.

According to Fortun, Palao has pending arrest warrants for kidnapping and murder in Digos, Davao City and Marawi City. Palao is even availing of the government’s witness protection program.

"Here is my client (Boratong) who has no criminal record, and who’s only fault was he bought the questioned property six months before the raid and is now behind bars, while Palao, who is facing a string of criminal cases, is still under the custody of the Pasig City police," Fortun said.