FLASHBACK April 16, 2001-2003

Cops tossed to drug tests[/B]

Taking the cue from recent reports alleging involvement of law enforcers in illegal drug use and trade, the Department of Public Safety launched this month a random drug testing of its over 350 police officers and office personnel. The random testing was launched in response to a government-wide call to weed out public officers of officials and employees who either use or trade prohibited substances. Public Safety Commissioner Charles Ingram disclosed Friday that the first round of the random drug tests was conducted last April 3 where more than nine police offices and staff were submitted to various narcotic examinations.

Saipan residents are determined to regain their beautiful island of clear waters, white sand, green and palms that they once lost to prostitution. Island residents discourage both male and female sex workers from doing their “business” here, a move they described a people’s initiative to preserve the image and reputation of Saipan as a peaceful and wholesome tourist destination. This initiative helps the Commonwealth’s war against prostitution on Saipan to slowly gain ground. Lately, there has been reduced sightings of conspicuous-looking women and their promoters strutting around the Western Garapan area as they used to.

Hunt for robbery suspects on[/B]

Police are digging deep into the bank robbery that rocked Saipan Friday afternoon, as investigators gather evidence that would point to the two suspects who are reportedly local males. City Trust Bank employees believe two local males may have perpetrated the robbery, based on the voices they heard behind the ski masks, police said yesterday. Authorities are still pursuing possible leads but have made no arrests as of press time. “Some of the witnesses say they’re possibly locals because their voice sounded [like they were] locals,” Public Safety spokesperson Lt. Pete C. Muña learned from police investigators.

The Federal Aviation Administration vowed to extend all necessary assistance to the Commonwealth Ports Authority in efforts to continuously enhance the Commonwealth’s security and air transport system. FAA Regional Administrator William C. Withycombe said the agency looks forward to continuing the tradition of cooperation and partnership between them and the ports authority to ensure secure and efficient air transportation system. “I look forward to continuing this tradition, to enhance an already safe, secure and efficient air transport system,” Withycombe told CPA Executive Director Carlos H. Salas.

‘Eliminate homestead program'[/B]

The Marianas Public Lands Authority is asking the Legislature to pass a measure that would terminate the long-running homestead program in the CNMI. MPLA commissioner Henry Hofschneider said in an interview yesterday that it is one of the options that the agency is exploring amid the scarcity of public lands. “We’ve been asking the Legislature to start considering terminating the homestead program. It’s a legislative program. It’s very sensible to just discontinue the homestead for now and evaluate what this government wants and needs,” he said. Hofschneider said this idea has been relayed to some lawmakers when they conducted a public hearing on the homestead moratorium, which remains in effect since October last year.

“If you apply the law and your common sense, you will find Ricardo Atalig guilty beyond reasonable doubt on all 27 [criminal] counts.” That is how Assistant U.S. Attorney John Rice concluded his opening statement, as the trial proper on the federal wire fraud charges against the senator began yesterday afternoon at the U.S. District Court. Atalig’s executive secretary, Dolores Sablan Bermudes, took the witness stand and testified that she did not see any work done by her co-employee, Marjorie Dela Cruz, in her employment with Atalig. Bermudes testified on several documents presented to her by Rice, including Dela Cruz’s employment documents and employee’s time and attendance sheets that she herself prepared. In one of the attendance sheets that Rice asked her to look at, she said Dela Cruz’s name appears on it.