Luhk sisters’ family urges DPS to probe Mafnas

The family of the missing sisters Faloma and Maleina Luhk is urging the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether Ramon C. Mafnas as DPS commissioner also intervened in the investigation of the case.

Elbert Quitugua, grandfather of the Luhk sisters, told Saipan Tribune that the family is now puzzled and worried if there was also a discrepancy as a result of Mafnas’ micromanagement of the case.

“The family members are wondering if Mafnas did question personally or his detectives took a statement from the person of interest,” Quitugua said.

He said the police official in charge of the Criminal Investigation Bureau at the time should disclose if Mafnas also micro-managed the case or directly intervened.

Quitugua said when the sisters were reported missing, Mafnas at the time was just confirmed as commissioner.

“So nobody wanted to touch him (Mafnas). So everybody was scared,” Quitugua said.

The grandfather said when KSPN2 interviewed Mafnas and asked if the person of interest is a relative of the Luhk sisters, the commissioner replied “no.”

“That really hurts me. Is he covering up anything?” said Quitugua, who also disclosed that the person of interest is even “very related” to Mafnas.

Quitugua appeared to investigators to dig deeper if Mafnas tampered with a witness or the person of interest.

He said the people are so happy that Gov. Benigno R. Fitial put Mafnas on administrative leave.

“They are more happy if Fitial replaces him. This is the sentiment going around in the community. The public are crying out there to replace him, to please change the commissioner. To quote his own people, he is arrogant, a bully and all of that,” Quitugua said.

Then 10-year-old Faloma and 9-year-old Maleina were reportedly last seen near a bus stop pavilion in As Teo on May 25, 2011.

Over 140 personnel at DPS Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, signed a petition that seeks for the ouster of Mafnas as commissioner.

The reasons cited by the petitioners are Mafnas’ authoritarian leadership, confrontational approach, micro-management and lack of faith and trust in the staff of the DPS.

Capt. Lawrence Camacho, then chief of DPS Criminal Investigation Bureau, wrote a letter to chief prosecutor Peter Prestley about Mafnas’ questionable actions in the investigation into the murder of bartender Emelita Romero.

In that letter, Camacho alleged that Mafnas interfered with the investigation, shocking and puzzling his own detectives.

Bureau of Motor Vehicle director Juana C. Leon Guerrero and six other BMV staff have filed a grievance before the Office of Personnel Management against Mafnas for harassment, intimidation, and creating a hostile working environment.

The BMV employees asked OPM for immediate response by initiating an investigation and hearing on their complaint.

In response to the issues, Mafnas said he welcomed an independent investigation by federal and CNMI authorities. He said the allegations are the product of individuals with ulterior motives to fulfill their selfish agenda.

Mafnas blamed three to four “sore” senior officers at DPS of being behind these allegations. He did not name these senior officers.