Alleged Boratong drug gang member falls

MANILA, Philippines - A suspected member of a gang led by shabu tiangge operator Amin Imam Boratong was arrested by Pasig City police Wednesday, officials said yesterday.

Alvin Quijano, 41, was served an arrest warrant for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition at his house in Barangay Palatiw, Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel said. The warrant was issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta.

A .45 caliber MK IV Colt pistol, two M16 carbine rifles, bullets and three sealed plastic sachets containing what investigators believe to be shabu were seized in Quijano’s house.

Big business

Laurel said Quijano’s arrest was the result of a long period of surveillance and intelligence gathering on the suspect. Quijano allegedly acted as a collector for Boratong.

Boratong started his shabu tiangge (flea market) in 1997, according to Laurel. By the time the tiangge was raided in 2006, the business was worth P900 million, he added.

Laurel said that after Boratong and his second wife, Sheryl Molera, were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 for maintaining the shabu tiangge in Mapayapa Compound in Barangay Sto. Tomas – a few meters away from the city hall and the city police headquarters – members of his gang did not stop their drug-peddling activities.

Last March 10, police raided the shabu tiangge’s old site and seized assorted high-powered guns, including an AK-47 rifle. Three suspected members of Boratong’s gang – Aleman Boratong, Acsaimen Amer and Joey Mamon – escaped during the raid.

Harassment

Laurel said the guns seized from Quijano were reportedly used by Boratong’s gang members to harass rival drug pushers.

Meanwhile, EPD deputy director for operations Senior Superintendent Danilo Maligalig alleged that Quijano’s group is behind an attempt on the life of former Tribune reporter Fernan Angeles in March 2012.

He said Quijano’s group accused Angeles of tipping off police. Maligalig said they have informants who help them monitor Quijano’s group but Angeles is not one of them. – With Non Alquitran