Ex-Rota mayor formally charged

The Office of the Attorney General has formally charged former Rota mayor Melchor A. Mendiola in connection with the Office of the Public Auditor’s investigation on alleged corruption activities of former Rota municipal officials.

Assistant attorney general Emily Cohen filed on Tuesday an amended information charging the 65-year-old Mendiola with theft.

According to the first amended information, Mendiola unlawfully took nine picnic tables belonging to the Rota Mayor’s Office on and between September 2014 and Feb. 26, 2015, on Rota.

Cohen filed the amended information after her request to file more documents was granted by Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho.

In her request, Cohen said the government is amending the information to add Mendiola as a co-defendant in the case.

The prosecutor said Mendiola was off-island and was not served with an arrest warrant when his co-defendants were served.

The former mayor voluntarily surrendered to the Department of Corrections last May 19 and was served with the arrest warrant. He posted a $10,000 cash bail. His arraignment will be on June 5.

The first amended information also charged Alfred Apatang, Bernard Apatang, Stacey Ann M. Atalig, and Tina M. Atalig with theft.

Alfred Apatang is a former field supervisor of then-mayor Mendiola. He allegedly stole a Toshiba Satellite laptop valued at $975 belonging to the Rota Mayor’s Office between September 2014 and Feb. 27, 2015, on Rota.

Bernard Apatang allegedly stole a Toshiba Satellite laptop worth $975 belonging to the Rota Office of Finance between September 2014 and Feb. 27, 2015, on Rota. There is no information yet on what was his job was at that time.

Stacey Ann Atalig allegedly stole a Toshiba Tecra laptop valued at $2,049 belonging to the Rota Office of Finance between September 2014 and March 2015 on Rota. She is a former Rota Finance resident director.

Tina Atalig allegedly stole a Toshiba Satellite laptop worth over $250 and less than $20,000 belonging to the Rota Mayor’s Office between September 2014 and Feb. 26, 2015, on Rota. She is former secretary of then-mayor Mendiola.

OPA Task Force officer JB K. Cepeda stated in his report that they initiated the investigation after receiving last February a letter from Rota Mayor Efrain M. Atalig requesting assistance to investigate Mendiola’s questionable transactions.

Cepeda said Atalig apparently discovered that government properties such as laptops, folding tables, a typewriter, and other items were unaccounted for or missing.