Juveniles believed to be behind pavilion vandalism

Division of Parks & Recreation director Anthony T. Benavente said yesterday he will ask the Department of Public Safety to keep an eye on the Filcom Pavilion area in Susupe after the facility was recently vandalized.

“I will make a formal request to DPS Commissioner Ray Mafnas to do surveillance there. It’s just right across their facility so maybe they can do that,” Benavente said in a phone interview.

The newly rehabilitated pavilion’s green concrete bench facing the road was spray-painted with graffiti. Benavente said he personally saw the graffiti as he was driving along Beach Road last Friday.

“It’s so sad that somebody did that. It’s one of the beautiful pavilions on island. In fact, everybody is calling in because they want to use it,” he told Saipan Tribune.

Benavente believes the vandalism may have been done by juveniles.

“From my experience, when we prepare and set up for triathlon courses very early in the morning, we see a lot of kids in the beach or in pavilions. I’m pretty sure it’s done by juveniles. Maybe somebody is telling them. Maybe they’re doing it for some other reason that we don’t know,” he explained.

The Filipino Community Foundation Inc. funded the rehabilitation of the pavilion, which was originally built in 1993 by then Filipino Association in the Northern Mariana Islands.

The rehabilitation of the 20′ x 30′ ft pavilion involved the removal of the concrete table and benches in the center and replacing them with concrete benches and a fence. Open and exit gates as well as plant boxes were also built.

Benavente said he is trying to get in touch with the project contractor, Tang Enterprises, to apply paint on the vandalized parts of the pavilion.

Eddie Caranzo, secretary of the Filipino Community Foundation Inc., confirmed in a separate interview that the incident had already been reported to the Office of the Governor and DPS.

“According to them, we’re trying to attract tourists to the island but these things continue to happen,” said Caranzo, adding that the DPS had agreed to conduct daily surveillance in the area at nighttime and daybreak.

Caranzo said that with the surveillance to be done by DPS, perpetrators of the vandalism done on the Filcom Pavilion will be apprehended.

Benavente encouraged the community to help them maintain the Filcom Pavilion and other pavilions on island. He emphasized that the public’s cooperation is “very important.”

“With our economic situation and our cash-strapped government, we can’t afford to have these problems. We’re trying our best to maintain the pavilion grounds. Why don’t they help out and chip in these bad times that we’re having? Put a little hand and help in the maintenance and beautification of the pavilions. They’re for everyone,” he said.