Lawyer says client cooperated in probe vs ‘prominent govt official’

Attorney David G. Banes has disclosed that his client, Evelyn Duenas Cangco, cooperated with the U.S. government related to her allegations involving a prominent public official.
Banes made the disclosure in Cangco’s sentencing memorandum filed in the U.S. District Court for the NMI on Thursday. He neither identified the official nor specified Cangco’s allegations.

In the memorandum, Banes asked the court not to impose prison time on Cangco and instead sentence her to just one year of probation or supervised release or home detention.

Banes said this is the same sentence the U.S. Probation Office recommends and is within both the statutory and sentencing guidelines provisions.

Banes said it is believed the U.S. government will recommend a similar sentence.

The 49-year-old Cangco is accused of lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation that a Chinese man set her on fire in San Antonio. Last Sept. 11, Cangco pleaded guilty, saying she actually burned herself.

Lying to the FBI carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year period of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

In the sentencing memorandum, Banes said Cangco is a middle-aged woman with physical and emotional health issues. He said she has no criminal history and, after her initial denial, she confessed to lying even before she had counsel and even agreed to plead guilty immediately after being charged.

Banes said Cangco is not violent, does not use drugs, nor does she drink alcohol to excess. He said Cangco is an excellent candidate for rehabilitation.

Banes said Cangco cooperated with the U.S. government in its investigation related to a high profile public official, including wearing a recording device, exposing herself to possible retaliation from this official.

As the public official apparently suspected something, which made him refuse to meet with Cangco, it is unlikely the U.S. government will reward her with a “substantial assistance” recommendation, Banes said.

“Nonetheless, the court should take this cooperation into account as it shows her commitment to change and that she is unlikely to be a repeat offender,” Banes said.

U. S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona stated at the change of plea hearing that although there is a concern for Cangco’s mental competency, there is no evidence that she is suffering from some type of mental illness.

Cangco had claimed that an unknown Chinese man shoved her from behind and threw gasoline on her back as she was returning to her vehicle, which was parked in front of the San Antonio Market, on March 26, 2013. Cangco stated that the Chinese man set her on fire before fleeing on foot, heading south on Beach Road.

Assistant U.S. attorney Rami Badawy said that Cangco later admitted to filling a jar with gasoline from a can at her home before driving to the San Antonio Market, where she doused herself with gasoline, then lit herself on fire.

Police investigation showed that Cangco was admitted to the Commonwealth Health Center for second-degree burns on both hands and her entire back.

Police said Cangco ran into the store, screaming for help. Store employees said she had no shirt on and was only wearing a bra and that her pants were on fire. The employees extinguished the flames and called 911 for police assistance.