BMV chief: Ogumoro assisted Manglona in registering DPS car

Former Department of Public Safety deputy commissioner Ambrosio T. Ogumoro walks behind his counsel, Mark B. Hanson, during a recess yesterday in Superior Court. Ogumoro and Herman M. Manglona (not in the photo) are on trial for corruption charges. (Ferdie de la Torre)

Department of Public Safety Bureau of Motor Vehicles director Juana C. Leon Guerrero testified yesterday that then-DPS deputy commissioner Ambrosio T. Ogumoro assisted Herman M. Manglona in 2012 in registering a 1995 Toyota Tercel car owned by DPS and subsequently sold to Manglona for $50.

At the ongoing jury trial of Ogumoro and Manglona in Superior Court, Leon Guerrero, who testified for the government, said Ogumoro went to her office and asked her to help Manglona register the Toyota Tercel in Manglona’s name.

Leon Guerrero said Manglona was with Ogumoro.

Manglona is the brother of Ogumoro’s spouse.

The BMV director said she took the vehicle registration application form and filled it out for Manglona, and that Ogumoro signed for it.

Leon Guerrero said she advised Ogumoro that it has to be Manglona who should sign the form.

Leon Guerrero said she got the information that she filled in the form from the bill of sale that Ogumoro gave her.

Asked by assistant attorney general Matthew Baisley why she filled up for Manglona’s information, the director said it’s because Manglona came out to pay the registration fee at the Judiciary building.

She said Ogumoro stayed behind in her office while Manglona made the payment.

Leon Guerrero said Manglona later came back to BMV after making the payment.

Leon Guerrero said all the requirements were submitted for the car registration.

The director said the bill of sale, which is one of the requirements, was signed by Procurement and Supply director Herman Sablan and Manglona.

Leon Guerrero agreed with Ogumoro’s counsel, Mark B. Hanson, during cross-examination that Ogumoro was very proactive at that time in fixing DPS vehicles and that the goal was to have better DPS services.

She said she had no problem with Ogumoro at that time.

Leon Guerrero provided to investigators a copy of a purchase order for repair and maintenance for 13 government vehicles in the amount of $10,070. One of the vehicles was the Toyota Tercel, which was repaired for $2,500.

During cross-examination by Manglona’s counsel, assistant public defender Tillman Clark, Leon Guerrero agreed that Manglona did not work at DPS at that time.

After Leon Guerrero’s testimony, Procurement and Supply supply specialist 2 Anthony Sablan Manahane testified for the government.

Manahane said Ogumoro requested their office to conduct “survey vehicle for auction” the 1995 Toyota Tercel.

Ogumoro’s memorandum to Sablan requested that the appraisal value of the car be approximately $50.

Manahane said he never saw the Toyota Tercel and that he never inspected it because he was not instructed to do so.

Manahane said he had no determination of the value of the car, as it was Procurement and Supply director Sablan who did it.

When Saipan Tribune left the courtroom at 4:10pm, Manahane was still on the witness stand.

Also testifying yesterday for the government were DPS information technology network administrator William Rathburn, Grace Santos of Saipan Computer Services, and Revenue and Taxation’s Pam Halstead.

Ogumoro and Manglona are on trial on corruption charges.

Ogumoro allegedly brought the Toyota Tercel to an auto shop in 2012 for repairs using DPS funds totaling $2,500 and sold it three days later to Manglona for $50. Ogumoro also allegedly ordered a DPS staff to bring a DPS desktop computer to a shop for repairs using DPS funding in the amount of $276. The computer along with other DPS property was later used in the office of True North Bar & Grill owned by Ogumoro, according to the charges.