FOR OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE Arriola family charged

Joey Arriola, his father, stepmother and two sisters were charged yesterday with obstruction of justice in the Superior Court for attempting to convince a minor to withdraw the sexual abuse case filed against the controversial lawyer.

But all the five –– Mr. Arriola, father Antonio, stepmother Marian and sisters Antoinette and Darcy –– pled not guilty to the charges of conspiring with one another in trying to persuade the witness to cast doubts on the prosecution’s case.

Assistant Attorney General James Benedetto last week filed five counts of sexual abuse against Mr. Arriola for allegedly engaging in sex with a minor identified only as J.C.M.

Based on the complaint, Mr. Arriola had sexual contact with the victim when she was only 15 years old. The incident allegedly took place between January 4, 1998 and July 26, 1998.

During the hearing yesterday, Mr. Benedetto told the court that a typewritten letter was prepared and brought to the victim for her signature which would put in question the government’s case.

The family, according to Mr. Benedetto, attempted to bribe the victim in exchange for her signature.

“The second count concerns being housed and giving money and other inducements by the Arriola family and while they had her (victim) away from her parents, they were trying to convince her to deny everything when she get to court,” Mr. Benedetto said.

At one instance, according to Mr. Benedetto, Mr. Arriola cried and begged to the victim to deny the charges.

The victim narrated to the police the incident after she was found at around 1:34 a.m. last Sunday.

Associate Judge Timothy H. Bellas has set a $2,500 unsecured bond for all the five accused. They were all asked to remain on island and ordered to seek permission should they plan to travel.

Mr. Arriola, 33, immediately dismissed the sexual abuse charges against him as baseless and expressed disappointment over the accusations.

“I want to clear my name immediately and it is just unfortunate that I’ve reached the pinnacle in what I have attempted to do and the people who despise me are now having a feast in this,” he said.

The controversial lawyer recently took the limelight after taking former acting Attorney General Maya Kara to the court questioning the legality of her tenure to the post. Aside from Ms. Kara, Mr. Arriola sued key government officials on behalf of his client, businessman Cheung Pin Yin, who was arrested in and anti-gambling raid at East Ocean in Garapan which was led by the AGO.

But Mr. Benedetto denied that the filing of charges against Mr. Arriola has something to do with the earlier case against the acting Attorney General since their decision to pursue the case was based on solid evidence.