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Admin to start paying settlements, judgments
The administration would soon start paying some settlement claims and other judgments after Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed yesterday a bill that allocates funds for this purpose.
House Bill 19-213, introduced by former representative Antonio P. Sablan, is now Public Law 19-87.
It is the last legislative measure from the 19th Legislature that Torres signed before he left for Tokyo late in the afternoon for an official trip.
PL 19-87 sets aside $9 million from the $40.97 million supplemental budget last year. The administration had said they had agreed to settle six of the highest claims that have not been paid since 1996.
Six million dollars would pay judgments while $3 million is for land compensations certified by the Department of Public Lands.
The administration added the $9 million appropriated to settle the claims were longstanding obligations inherited from previous governments.
Maria Mangabao’s heirs will be getting $3 million out of the $6 million or 16 percent of the $18,498,088.01 total judgment, while Manglona vs. CNMI will be getting $900,000.
The Rogolifoi’s heirs in civil case 05-0197 will get $700,000 or 26 percent of $2,690.020.07. Lizama vs. DPL (Civ. No. 08-149) and Tano Group vs. Department of Public Works (Civ. No. 05-0100) will be getting $500,000 each while $400,000 or 70.3 percent of the $568,966.82 will go to the Estate of Muna vs. CNMI (Civ. No. 96-0796).
The Mangabao and Rogolifoi heirs, estate of Muna, and Lizama vs. DPL are settlement cases that are related to land compensation judgments.
The government owes $24,542,165.46 in total land compensation judgment plus interest.
