Shabu tiangge operator has hired guns

Alleged Pasig City shabu tiangge operator Amin Imam, alias Boratong, has at his disposal four "hired" killers, including a policeman, who "silenced" his competitors and drug pushers who incurred huge debts in his drug organization, a government witness said yesterday.

During the continuation of his testimony yesterday, Samer Palao also said none of Imam’s employees in the drug tiangge were allowed to leave the organization alive: "Those who wanted to turn a new leaf were ordered killed by Boratong and his wife, Mimie, because they knew too much about the shabu tiangge operations."

The prosecution reminded Palao that he said in the past hearings that Imam retains so-called sistensiyadors, killers who summarily execute drug pushers who fail to pay their debts to the organization, as well as competitors in the illicit drug trade.

Palao identified Imam’s hired killers as PO2 Ramil Along, a former Pasig City policeman; Nasser Labay alias Buenas; Mangotawa Sultan, alias Macmac and Pangkatan Sultan, alias Boy Negro.

Senior Superintendent Jojo Acierto, executive officer of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) said Along is now listed as absent without official leave (AWOL).

Acierto said Along and the three others named by Palao are among those they charged recently with maintenance of a drug den before the Department of Justice (DOJ). The AIDSOTF official said they are also hunting the three down.

Palao and his police escorts arrived at 12:20 p.m. at the chamber of Judge Abraham Borreta, of the Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) Branch 154 in Pasig City.

The hearing started with Imam’s lawyer, Raymund Fortun, submitting a waiver allowing the continuation of future hearings even without the presence of the accused.

But Borreta said Imam’s waiver will not exempt him from appearing in court in the future hearings, especially for the purpose of identifying him.

Palao also disclosed that besides the shabu tiangge operation, Boratong is also behind the proliferation of the illegal drugs in Digos City, Davao; Marawi City; Cebu; Bulacan; Cavite: Tandang Sora in Quezon City; Quiapo in Manila and in Taguig City.

Having been Imam’s right-hand man, Palao said he was present each time Imam and his wife packed shabu for delivery.

He said Imam’s contact from his distribution areas would arrive in Metro Manila to pay for the merchandise and Imam’s employees would deliver the shabu to the provinces.

Palao also said that, at one time, Imam accompanied a shabu shipment to Digos City but was arrested by elements of the Regional Mobile Group (RMG). He added that Imam told him he was released after paying a "large amount" of money to his captors.

Imam laughed after hearing Palao’s testimony. "It’s purely hearsay," he was overheard telling his escorts from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Palao also complained to Borreta that Imam was laughing during his testimony, especially when he said the local bank had to lend Imam a counting machine so Imam could count his daily earnings.

Fortun apologized to the court and cautioned his client to remain silent during the proceedings.

Palao said he received a monthly salary of P50,000 from Boratong in 2001. His salary over the next two years was raised to P100,000 and then P200,000 in 2004, he added.

The money from the shabu tiangge was delivered to Imam’s eight houses in Sitio Mapayapa, including the "Malacañang" house. – Non Alquitran