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The Eastern Police District (EPD) will file a motion for reconsideration on the decision of Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Raul Gonzalez clearing Pasig City shabu tiangge operator Amin Imam Boratong and three others for the murder of an informant of television network GMA 7 two years ago.

“We are seeking a legal remedy on the issue. At the most we will file a motion for reconsideration before the DOJ,” said EPD director Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman. “This is a big case and we will not allow it to end this way.”

Ticman said he ordered Pasig City police chief Senior Superintendent Francisco Uyami Jr. and the EPD’s legal division to determine their other legal course of action on Gonzalez’s decision clearing Boratong, his wife Memie, Police Officer 2 Ramil Along and Nashir Labay, alyas Buenas, for the murder of Herman Colisao.

On the strength of the testimony of government witness Samer Palao, Uyami filed the murder case against Boratong and his co-accused before the DOJ last July 14.

According to the EPD director, he will also coordinate with Director Geary Barias, head of the directorate for investigation and detective management (DIDM) of the Philippines National Police (PNP) in seeking legal remedies on Gonzalez’s decision.

Finding reasonable ground to believe that Boratong and his co-accused committed the offense charged, State Prosecutor Geronimo Sy filed a case of murder against them before the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) last May 8.

The case was raffled off to Judge Nicanor Manalo Jr. of Pasig’s RTC Branch 161.

However, in a six-page resolution last Friday, Gonzalez said there was no evidence to link Boratong and his co-accused to the killing of Colisao last Nov. 17, 2005.

“The evidence on record is bereft of any proof positively showing the identities of the perpetrators and the manner or circumstances under which the killing of the victim was executed,” said Gonzalez in the resolution.

He noted that unless there is competent corroborative evidence, Palao’s sworn statement would not stand the rigors of judicial scrutiny.

Gonzalez also questioned Palao’s credibility, noting that he was an accused of a pending criminal case in Marawi City court for kidnapping and murder of Memie’s brother Cadar Sultan.

Earlier, Boratong’s lawyer, Raymond Fortun asked Manalo to defer the trial of the murder case and the issuance of an arrest warrant against Boratong and his co-accused pending Gonzalez’s decision on their petition for review of the case. – Non Alquitran