Govendo dismisses theft case vs ex-cop

The Superior Court has dropped the criminal case against former police officer Florencio Q. Falig, who was accused of stealing a cell phone that a teacher forgot at a store in Kagman.

According to court records, assistant attorney general Heather P. Barcinas, counsel for the government, filed last Aug. 25 a motion to drop the theft case against the 47-year-old Falig.

Four days later, Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo dismissed the case without prejudice, which means the government can re-open the case in the future.

Bail that Falig may have posted and his passport in the custody of the clerk of court shall be released to him.

Saipan Tribune learned Tuesday that Falig wants to work back at the Department of Public Safety, since the case has already been dismissed in August.

Last June, Govendo found probable cause to charge Falig with a count of theft during a preliminary hearing.

Police said Falig stole a Gold Samsung Galaxy 12 cell phone that a teacher forgot at a store in Kagman last June 8 and that the act was caught by the store’s surveillance camera.

Falig pleaded not guilty.

Falig was at the time assigned at DPS Patrol Section when police served him in Kagman with an arrest warrant for theft. He then posted bail.

At a bail hearing, Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho also found out that Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio issued a bench warrant for Falig’s arrest last May 12 for failing to appear in court at the scheduled May 2 hearing in a small claim filed against him by Express Financial.

It was not clear then why DPS did not serve the bench warrant on Falig.

Then-assistant public defender Matthew Meyer, counsel for Falig, asked the court to release Falig on his own recognizance. He cited the nature of the allegations and stated that it is possibly a simple mistake, and that Falig has been a police officer for 20 years and has no criminal record.

Camacho noted that Falig has prior cases that include violation of the Family Protection Act, contempt of court, small claims, breach of contract, and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Police detective Catherine B. Pangelinan stated in her report that police investigation was initiated when a police officer was making a routine check by the pavilion in Kagman 1 and a concerned citizen approached and disclosed about a police officer stealing a cell phone at Brother’s Market.

The concerned citizen expressed disappointment at seeing a police officer stealing a cell phone inside the store.

Shown with a photo lineup containing 21 photos of police officers, the victim identified Falig as the person she observed in the footage, taking her phone. Pangelinan said the victim was very upset because the phone contained photos of her students as well as other important information.