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3 charges vs ex-CUC staff dismissed
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Posted on Nov 26 2008
The Superior Court yesterday dismissed with finality the three charges against a former Commonwealth Utilities Corp. employee who was among five ex-CUC staff accused of engaging in a power disconnection scam.
Associate Judge Ramona V. Manglona dismissed one count of theft of services and two counts of conspiracy to commit theft of services filed against Francisco F. Faisao, who is a former CUC disconnection crew.
Manglona made the decision after the Attorney General’s Office moved to drop the charges.
Faisao, however, still faces one count of violation of the CUC Code, according to his lawyer, Edward Arriola Sr.
The trial was set for Dec. 15, 2008.
“My client is elated. But nevertheless, we spent already a year and a half on this. They were charged since May. They were charged with theft. They were not charged initially with violation of the CUC Code,” Arriola told Saipan Tribune.
The lawyer said his client never committed theft. “It was then a big publicity and at the end they [AGO] dismissed it,” Arriola said.
Also facing charges in the case are former CUC credit and collections supervisor Elaine Q. Terlaje, former customer service representative Rita I. Tarope, and disconnection crew Ricardo C. Sablan and Joaquin E. Norita.
The defendants allegedly conspired to purposely skip the names of family members and friends from CUC’s disconnection list, allowing them to continue drawing power from CUC.
Faisao allegedly got $1,096.85 in the scam. The defendant pleaded not guilty.
