Attempted murder victim testifies in court

The victim in an alleged attempted murder case shed tears as he testified how he became a virtual prisoner of defendants Gerald Cabrera Sablan and James Cabrera Ordillano, who repeatedly beat him up in separate areas on Saipan last year.

Mendiola, who took the witness stand in the ongoing trial of the 29-year-old Sablan in Superior Court, recalled that, after Sablan and Ordillano beat him up and left him at the old airfield in Koblerville on the evening of Aug. 5, he had crawled to the bushes where he lost consciousness.

During direct examination by assistant attorney general Kristin St. Peter, the victim said that, prior to the beating, he was with the defendants in the San Vicente area aboard his truck. As he was driving, he made a wrong turn and the vehicle landed on rough road.

Ordillano allegedly got mad because his pants got wet with beer. Sablan took the wheel and the defendants started punching him on the head and body, Mendiola said.

At this juncture, the victim stopped his testimony as he could not control his tears.

St. Peter asked him if wants a break, but Mendiola said he would continue his testimony.

The victim said Ordillano told him: “You met the death row.”

Sablan later parked the car, asked him to get out, and they beat him up again.

Mendiola said the defendants told him he was going to die and brought him to Laulau Beach where they continued beating him up.

He said his nose at that time was already bleeding.

“I then jumped from the passenger window and ran toward the road,” said Mendiola, adding that he was so dizzy that Sablan caught him.

The defendants brought him back to his truck where they started beating him up again. Mendiola said he did not fight back because he was very scared and felt powerless.

The victim said the defendants brought him to the back of the airport where they punched him repeatedly. He said Sablan even subjected him to a headlock when he fell to the ground.

Mendiola said the defendants took him to other places until they reached Aguingan Point where they beat him up again.

He said they only stayed at Aguingan Point for about five minutes because there was a security guard in the area.

Mendiola said the defendant finally took him to the old airfield where they beat him up and hit him with the truck. He stated that the defendants told him they would rape his sister.

He said the defendants left the area aboard his truck. He said he tried to stand up, but he fell down.

“I crawled to the bushes and waited there. I saw they were coming back. My car came back,” he said, recalling that he later lost consciousness.

Mendiola said he was awakened by sunlight the following day. He then crawled to the road where he met a girl and a man, who assisted him.

The government charged Sablan and Ordillano with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and kidnapping. Ordillano had entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 15 years in prison without parole.