2 witnesses called in trial of ex-Labor chief

The CNMI government called two witnesses to the stand as the bench trial of former Labor secretary Edith Eleanor Deleon Guerrero on three traffic charges relating to alleged misuse of government vehicles started yesterday.

Assistant attorney general Jonathan Robert Glass Jr. called to the witness stand Procurement & Supply director Herman S. Sablan and Islanders Rent-A-Car accountant Efren Casamina.

When Saipan Tribune left the courtroom yesterday at 4pm, assistant public defender Heather Zona, counsel for Deleon Guerrero, was still cross-examining Casamina.

The trial will resume today, Thursday, at 10am in the U.S. District Court. Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho is presiding over the trial. The trial is being held in the District Court’s courtroom because the CNMI Judiciary remains closed for public due to air-conditioning system and mold problems.

Sablan was the government’s first witness in the bench trial of Deleon Guerrero.

At the trial, Sablan identified the documents shown by Glass as the 32 purchase requisitions that Deleon Guerrero as then-Labor secretary submitted for monthly car rentals at Islander Rent-A-Car December 2013 to August 2016.

Sablan also identified 33 other documents shown by Glass as the purchase orders that he all issued except one, pertaining to the purchase requisitions that Deleon Guerrero submitted to Procurement & Supply.

Sablan said it was not his signature in one purchase order as he was off-island at that time.

Sablan said each purchase order for each month of car rental covering December 2013 to August 2016 was worth $1,000, for a total amount of $32,000.

For purchase order below $1,000 but above $2,500, the requesting agency must have three quotations from vendors. For long-term leases, the agency must undergo a bidding process. For purchase orders below $2,500, the solicitation of vendors is not required.

During Zona’s cross-examination, Sablan agreed that none of the purchase requisitions were for car lease. Sablan also agreed that none of the purchase requisitions and purchase order was for car rental for 60 days or more, and for 12 months or more.

In response to Camacho’s questions, Sablan said there is no need for a quotation from vendors for purchase orders under $2,500.

Sablan said if it is over $2,500 but less than $10,000, three quotations are needed, but no bidding.

He said there is a need for bidding if the amount of the purchase order is more than $10,000.

Sablan said they used to put markings on government vehicles, but now the vendors or the government agencies put the markings.

Casamina said their company made monthly contracts each for $1,000 with the Workforce Investment Agency, through Deleon Guerrero, from December 2013 to October 2016.

Deleon Guerrero leased four cars in that period.

Casamina testified that he made a summary of invoices pertaining to Deleon Guerrero’s monthly contracts at the request of the Office of the Public Auditor.

Casamina said Deleon Guerrero rented cars monthly while other government agencies would rent for only one or two months.

Assistant attorney general Jonathan Wilberscheid is assisting Glass during the trial. Assistant public defender Nancy Dominski is assisting Zona for the defense.

Deleon Guerrero is on bench trial for three infractions—no tinting on a government vehicle, requiring that government vehicles be marked on their front doors, and requiring government vehicles to bear government license plates.

According to the charges, on Dec. 8, 2013 to Oct. 11, 2016, Deleon Guerrero, as Labor secretary, used a government motor vehicle that had tinting on its windows, that was not clearly marked as a government vehicle, and did not bear government license plates.