The wife of the late “shabu tiangge” operator Amin Imam Boratong and a former bank manager have been convicted of money laundering by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

In a 26-page joint decision promulgated last Sept. 20, RTC Branch 167 Judge Annielyn B. Medes-Cabelis found guilty Boratong’s wife, Sheryl M. Boratong, and former Equitable PCI Bank (EPCIB) branch manager Godoffredo Aquino Medenilla of six counts and two counts, respectively, of violating Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9160, the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001.

Sheryl was sentenced to a prison term ranging from seven to 13 years for each count and ordered to pay a fine of P3 million, also for each count of money laundering.

Medenilla, on the other hand, was sentenced to imprisonment ranging from four to six years and ordered to pay a fine of P1.5 million for each count.

Amin, who died in 2020 while imprisoned at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City, was also an accused in the money laundering cases. However, the judge noted that “the cases against Amin were dismissed in view of his death.”

The case stemmed from the Feb. 10, 2006 anti-illegal drugs operations conducted by police against a drug den or “shabu tiangge” in Pasig City that was found under the control of Amin.

Both Sheryl and Amin were convicted in 2009 of violating Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act 2002.

In her Sept. 20 joint decision, Judge Cabelis said the prosecution was able to show that Sheryl opened bank accounts with Philippine Savings Bank following the investigation conducted by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and, despite the large deposits, “Sheryl and Amin have no known lawful source of income.”

“Amin and Sheryl made huge deposits in cash and in small denominations. Sheryl admitted that she does not know if Amin had any lawful job at that time and she could not tell Amin’s specific business. These proved beyond reasonable doubt that Sheryl knows that the money she deposited involves or relates to the proceeds of her and Amin’s unlawful activity,” the judge ruled.

On the other hand, Judge Cabelis said the prosecution was able to show that Medenilla was aware that Amin and the latter’s his first wife, Memie Sultan Boratong, were “engaged in unlawful activity and they derived proceeds therefrom.”

Judge Cabelis pointed out that “Medenilla knows that the funds deposited at Memie and Amin’s bank accounts at EPCIB Sixto Antonio Branch where he worked as Bank Manager came from the proceeds of an unlawful activity because Medenilla saw on a television program that Memie and Amin’s names were mentioned to be involved in illegal drugs activities so he advised Memie to transfer their funds to the account of their ‘trusted’ person.”

“Memie followed Medenilla’s advice by transferring the funds from her accounts to those of her sisters’. As a result, Medenilla facilitated Memie’s transactions of the proceeds of her and Amin’s unlawful activity to make them appear the funds originated from legitimate sources,” the judge stated.