NEWS BRIEFS Construction firm guilty of illegal hiring

Construction firm
guilty of illegal hiring

The Superior Court yesterday declared a construction company guilty of 12 counts of employing illegal workers, a criminal offense that could land its owner up to 16 years in jail and a fine of $60,000.

Taro Construction was raided last year by officers of the Department of Labor and Immigration where 16 nonresidents –– Filipinos and Bangladeshis –– were found working as construction workers even without proper documents.

In his testimony, Amante Andrada said his last working permit in the CNMI expired in 1991, and when he was employed by Taro Construction in September 1996, he was still without legal papers.

Andrada said he performed mason and carpentry tasks and was compensated for the work at the end of every two weeks. (SDA)

Hearing of dela Cruz
murder case postponed

The preliminary hearing of the Joaquin dela Cruz murder case was pushed back yesterday by the Superior Court after the legal counsel of the suspects sought a rescheduling.

Robert O’Connor, lawyer for Nestor and George Taitano, told a brief court session that his clients were unaware of the scheduled hearing.

However, no date was given for the next preliminary hearing since it was not yet certain which sala will hear the case.

Presiding Judge Timothy Bellas was reportedly unavailable and the case was sent back to Judge Edward Manibusan.

The Attorney General’s Office named Nestor and George Taitano, who also carry the surname Manglona, as suspects in the killing of dela Cruz.

Both are facing first degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping and attempted first degree murder.

De la Cruz was found lying face up and dead in the middle of the dirt road leading to Stanford Hotel in San Vicente.

Dubbed as the “crimes of passion”, the victim was reportedly looking for a certain Lydia Sanchez and had an argument with the suspects before he was gunned down.

Two pedestrians
hit by cars

Two pedestrians were hurt after they were hit in separate car accidents over the weekend, according to authorities.

Xin Jang Wu, a 28-year-old Chinese, was rushed to the Commonwealth Health Center and was accommodated in the Intensive Care Unit after sustaining broken right leg, laceration in the back, bruises and scratches all over his body.

Based on the Traffic Preliminary Investigation report, he was hit by a Nissan Pathfinder driven by Carlos C. Torres near the Town and Country restaurant in Gualo Rai.

The vehicle was heading north using the inner lane Saturday midnight. Wu was reported to have landed on the outer south bound lane.

In another auto pedestrian accident, a 12-year-old girl was hit by a four-door sedan Friday night, sustaining bump in her forehead and bruises in right ankle.

The accident happened along the crosswalk near the lower MIHA. The Filipino driver Daniel Taroza was heading north using the outer lane.

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Safety is asking pedestrians to wear visible colors at night to avoid future accidents.

In addition, Seat Belt and Car Seat check points will take place on Wednesday at Beach Road Chalan Piao and another check will be conducted on Friday in Gualo Rai near the Saipan Cockpit. (SDA)