Witness says Boratong bought off captors

Alleged Pasig City shabu "tiangge" operator Amin Imam Boratong was arrested by law enforcers in the past but managed to remain scot-free by settling the cases with his captors before it reaches the court, a government witness said yesterday.

The witness, Samer Palao, said Boratong was arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in 2002 and the anti-drug unit of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) in 2005.

Palao did not say how much Boratong shelled out to his captors in exchange for his freedom.

Palao did say that a certain Mutia from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) tried to arrest Boratong in 2005, but the latter bought his freedom for P500,000.

Palao admitted before Judge Abraham Borreta, of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 154, that he has no documentary evidence to prove his claim.

During a five-minute recess at the hearing on drug charges against him, Boratong told The STAR that there is no truth to what Palao was saying.

"I am not listed in the order of battle on illegal drugs by the police and the NBI. I have a clean record unlike him who was convicted on drug charges," he said.

Boratong’s lawyer, Raymund Fortun, brought up Palao’s conviction before Borreta, noting that last Oct. 11, Judge Esperanza Fabon-Victorino of the Pasig RTC ordered Palao to be committed at the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

Palao, when pressed by Fortun why his former boss failed to "settle his case," said, "I did not ask for his help."

Despite not having any drug charges against him, Boratong was charged by the Pasig City police for the murder of Tiwang Panikan, a neighborhood toughie, some years back, according to Palao.

Boratong settled the case with Panikan’s relatives before former officials of Barangay Sto. Tomas, he added. – Non Alquitran