How to stop more $400,000 swindles?

At last a “local boy” with cajones! John Del Rosario Jr. just slammed the local government and its local and corrupt “leadership” with his lawsuit against house resolution 19-3. Certainly, other local and concerned citizens have written letters to the editor about governmental corruption but stopped short of what Del Rosario did. Six years ago “local gal” former Rep. Tina Sablan started the ball rolling with her passage of the Open Government Act. Glen Hunter followed with his successful prosecution of the lawmakers responsible for the illegal Saipan Casino Act. Del Rosario, however, has always been on the periphery if not an insider to what is described as local polibullphart. He’s been where no one has. A former newspaper publisher, DPL executive, and staunch believer in you-do-the-crime-you-do-the-time, John recently filed a lawsuit against he-with-a-checkered-past now Lt. Gov. Vic Hocog, and converted to corruption Finance Secretary Larrisa Larsen. What for? Criminal deception: to help fuel and repair a cargo ship, MV Luta, that a kind Japanese investor spent $3.5M of his own money to assist the poor and helpless natives of Rota. Jungle smart Hocog spotted an easy prey and went for the jugular.Or in Rota-speak, laughing DPW gunslingers complete in mandatory camouflage paint blasting out the trees hundreds of endangered fruit bats with an AK47 just for s**ts and giggles. But enough of the jokes let’s get this story straight.

Everybody’s doing it so why not me— Hocog understood all to well that House resolution 19-3 he crafted to loot $400,000 of taxpayers’ monies, fool the gullible investor, bully the go-along-get-along Rota delegation to vote in its favor—without public notice or discussion to five our monies to his relatives the Mendiola family—was constitutionally unlawful and violated CNMI ethics At.

Delaying justice—Enter Gov. Ralph DLG Torres. He said he didn’t “read” the lawsuit, yet, but still beaned Del Rosario’s lawsuit by providing “cover,” a way out for Hocog and himself. In what way? By reminding us of the desperate plight of the poor people of Rota and “thanks to Vic” how the MV Luta will rescue them from a fate akin to death and that he, personally, shall solve the problem. In an upcoming election year. But which one: food, shelter, clothing, and high prices on Rota OR preventing Hocog/Larsen/Mendiola family from going to the slammer? But wait. Weren’t DLG Torres and Hocog part of the cabal (including speaker Ralph Demapan) and 15 House and seven Senate lawmakers laying low, that openly broke the law by secretly passing the exclusive casino license couple years back? And they’re still in office, doing it all over again, middle-finger to us. It gets deeper and smells worse as I write.

Exposing the crime—it is said that you’re innocent until proven guilty. Forget it. Here’s Del Rosario’s real “allegations” and why justice should be meted out. 1) Violation of the Open Government Act. 2) Breach of Fiduciary Duties. 3) Improper purpose in official capacity. 4) Public funds expended not for public purpose. 5) Failure to provide full and reasonable documents. 6) Resolution 19-3 was not placed on agenda of the Rota delegation session March 20, 2015.

More excrement—The incorporated MV Luta did not enter into any repayment plans of the $400,000 to Finance or any other government agency, kumbaya. So what? MV Luta (remember that the Japanese investor spent millions of his own money and bought the ship; not one penny came from the Mendiolas) and the Mendiolas Abelina, Deron, and Fidel had no legal right to blow $400,000 of taxpayers’ monies. And Slick Vic’s “smoke and mirrors”, supposedly, to pay back the $400,000 loan to Finance Larsen within one year? All B/S the deadline long past. And get this: Learning well from Slick Vic the Mendiolas setup to highjack the Japanese investor for one more of his loot. How? They’ve already publicly announced that their six months or “arduous hanging around,” all-expense paid junket to Louisiana already cost “them” millions of dollars more to bring back the cargo ship. Pretending “they” are losing money. So why not cough-up all the expenses and let’s see how our monies were wasted

More Pure Evil—Months after its balloon-fest arrived the cargo ship has yet to rescue the poor people of Rota. What happened? Slick Vic and his “personal consultant” Robert Toelkes. It seems they’re “chartering” the MV Luta for Toelkes’ private commercial venture shipping equipment and goods to a (casino) investor. How can they get away with that? Get this: the MV Luta’s shipping agent, the Rota Terminal & Transfer Inc., is managed by none other than Slick Vic’s daughter, Viola Hocog-Atalig, and Slick Vic still has his fingers in RT&T. and does anyone believe Slick and Toelkes are paying an fees for using the Japanese investor’s cargo ship MV Luta?

Racketeer influenced corrupt organizations act?—Whew! Slick boosted $400,000 from us taxpayers, hijacked the Japanese investor’s $3.5M and boat, is skimming bucks in private (casino) scheme with his consultant, feeds his own Rota companies, sits as a lieutenant governor go-to-guy and appears god-like to Rotanese—all by hacking taxpayers’ monies. And what about the other play-the-game conspirators, the Rota delegates Glen Maratita, Teresita Santos, and Steve Mesngon, will they escape justice? They’re still playing dodgeball and hoping upon hope the coming election will absolve them all of their crimes. Me? RICO to the bunch of them.

What’s the common thread to all this? Unbated corruption and malfeasance committed by arrogant elected and appointed officials. Throw the book at them because voting doesn’t work. And just imagine the repercussions of a “local boy” slapping a lawsuit on the local corrupt government. For all lawfully abiding citizens it’s about time. Perhaps and soon younger and more honest community members will be doing the same.

Lee Andersen
Chalan Kanoa