Incomplete victory

Editorial Desk Philippine Daily Inquirer Publication Date: 11-07-2009

The war is far from won, but the government scored its biggest victory against drug trafficking when the Pasig Regional Trial Court sentenced to life imprisonment Amin Imam Boratong, the most notorious drug lord since Jose “Don Pepe” Oyson was killed in March 1990. On Wednesday, Judge Abraham B. Borreta found Boratong and his wife Sheryl guilty of maintaining the “shabu tiangge” in Pasig City which the police estimated to have netted more than P900 million in profits in just one year. In what the Philippine National Police described as the largest anti-drug operation ever, 150 policemen and agents from the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Special Action Force raided the 2,000-sq m shantytown on Feb. 10, 2006 and arrested 300 people, including 50 women and children. The raiding team found drug paraphernalia, packs of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) powder and plastic bags filled with peso bills and coins in almost all of the 40 shanties inside the compound. Boratong and his wife were not caught during the raid; they were arrested by NBI operatives nine months later, on Nov. 21, 2006, in Makati. He was using the name Johnny Dizon and had his looks altered to avoid arrest. In February and May last year, Borreta handed down various prison terms to 82 persons arrested during the raid, including three operators of the drug dens who were given life terms. Boratong and his wife, however, almost got away scot-free, courtesy of then Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez. In one of his most bizarre issuances, Gonzalez ordered government prosecutors to “move for the suspension of proceedings” against the Boratongs in the Pasig Regional Trial Court. The order was issued on Nov. 30, 2006, the same day Boratong’s other wife Memie submitted a petition for review of the case. One month later, Gonzalez informed the government’s key witness, Samer Palao, that he had been removed from the Witness Protection Program. Palao, Boratong’s brother-in-law, claimed he was a trusted aide of the drug lord and provided details about the drug syndicate’s operations, including the places where they were selling drugs and where the money was deposited. But Gonzalez said that Palao appeared to be “more guilty” than Boratong and accused the police of coddling him. He dismissed Palao as a “convicted criminal” and “not a credible witness.” The police opposed Gonzalez’s moves, but limited their protest to issuing statements that were not for attribution. It was the prosecutors - five women: Anjanette Ortile, Amor Robles, Elizabeth Berdal, Eden Wakay-Valdez and Marlet Balagtas - who responded by doing the heroic thing: they simply ignored their boss and defied his order and went on with the job of prosecuting Boratong. And Borreta completed the shaming of Gonzalez by anchoring his verdict on Palao’s testimony, which he described as “straightforward, clear, convincing and credible.” All of them—the police, the prosecutors and the judge—should take a bow. The nation, which has long suffered the scourge of drugs and the ignominy of being identified by the United Nations as the third largest source of shabu, owes them a special gift of gratitude. But even as justice has won a great victory, it seems to be incomplete. Where are the protectors who made it possible for the syndicate to operate within a stone’s throw from the headquarters of the PNP Eastern Police District? Where are the local officials who conveniently looked the other way as the shabu flea market flourished within sniffing distance of city hall? Palao mentioned some names in the PNP. He talked of payoffs to NBI agents. If he can be persuaded to talk, Boratong should be able to name more names. And the authorities apparently know this, or else why would they mount such tight security arrangements at the promulgation of his sentence - a 24-vehicle convoy, a 200-member security detail and even snipers around the court premises? Despite the conviction of Boratong, the case should not be closed. There are others who have to be haled to court, preferably the fearless Borreta’s.