Boratong camp hits accuser’s ‘lavish security’

The failure of accused shabu tiangge operator Amin Imam Boratong to come up with more than P1 million for travel expenses prevented a government witness and his four lawyers and 50 police escorts from leaving for Cagayan de Oro City to attend the latter’s arraignment for kidnapping with murder today.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the government’s primary witness, Samer Palao, was still in the custodial center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) while waiting for his and his entourage ticket for their flight to Cagayan de Oro City.

"I’m ready for my flight to attend my arraignment. I and my lawyers and escorts are just waiting for our round trip tickets which will be provided by the prosecution," said Palao, adding that the travel expenses would reach more than P1 million.

Last Feb. 28, Jugde Gil Bollozos, of the metropolitan trial court (MTC) in Cagayan de Oro City, directed PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon to personally arrest Palao and bring him in today for the arraignment.

Palao was accused of forcibly abducting and killing Cadar Sultan, a brother-in-law of Boratong, last July. Sultan is one of Boratong’s trusted henchmen at the shabu tiangge, which was raided by police in February last year.

Bollozos also ordered Calderon to commit Palao before the Lumbia detention center in Cagayan de Oro City two days before March 15.

In his four page decision, Bollozos said the travel expenses of Palao and his escorts would pose no problem as the prosecution expressed willingness to shoulder them.

However, because of the failure of Boratong’s camp to come up with millions in travel expenses of Palao’s party, the witness could not be able to attend the arraignment today, said lawyer Roque Merdegia Jr., who was representing the police Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force.

Merdegia said two prosecutors’ from Cagayan de Oro are also in Metro Manila to secure clearance from judge Esperanza Victorino-Fabon of Pasig City RTC branch 157 to bring Palao before Bollozos chamber.

Fabon has indicted Palao for four years imprisonment on a drug case.

When reached for a comment on the P1 million budget for Palao and his party, lawyer Quirino Marquinez, Sultan’s counsel said "it is too much."

"Even the president of the country doesn’t get 50 personnel as her security. Its lavish spending already and part of the dilatory tactics of the defense," Marquinez said they would leave it to Bollozos for him to trim down Palao’s travel expenses.