Rota official, CHC staff arrested for ‘ice’ trafficking

An official at Rota’s Department of Finance and a staff of the Commonwealth Health Center were arrested Friday for alleged trafficking methamphetamine or “ice” on Rota.

A police officer escorts Rota Finance’s Procurement and Supply acting administrator Tilford S. Toves to the courtroom of Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho for an initial hearing on Friday afternoon. Toves and Commonwealth Health Center administrative staff Berlinda C. Flawau were arrested that day on charges of trafficking and possession of methamphetamine or “ice.” (Ferdie de la Torre)

Tilford S. Toves, Rota Finance’s Procurement and Supply acting administrator, was arrested at the Rota International Airport, while CHC administrative staff Berlinda C. Flawau was apprehended at CHC. Both were arrested for trafficking of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

At their initial hearing on Friday, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho imposed a $50,000 cash bail each for their temporary release.

Preliminary hearing will be on June 17 at 1:30pm.

The two’s arrest came about after police discovered, through a confidential source, that Flawau sent a package that contained 20 baggies of “ice” from Saipan to Toves on Rota last Wednesday, June 11.

A field test showed that the seized items were presumptive positive for the presence of methamphetamine. The total street value of the seized “ice” was $1,000, police said.

Frances B. Manglona, Rota’s Commonwealth Bureau of Investigations officer-in-charge, stated in his report that a reliable source told him on May 28 that Toves would use his office at Finance to conduct “ice” transactions with users.

Manglona said Toves would sell “ice” for $50 to $80 per Ziploc baggy. He would allegedly drive a government vehicle toward the back side of the Rota Mayor’s Office, where there is a backdoor leading directly into the Finance’s office.

Toves would at times allegedly conduct drug transactions inside the office.

Whenever Toves receives his packages from Saipan, he would allegedly distributing “ice” in the villages of Sinapalo and Songsong.

Manglona disclosed that on Wednesday, June 11, at 6:30pm, a police sergeant received information from a confidential source regarding a package possibly containing “ice” that had just arrived from Saipan via the Star Marianas flight. The package was destined for Toves.

Manglona said the confidential source revealed that while still on Saipan at 3:19pm that same Wednesday, Toves called the confidential source and asked if he/she could handcarry a package for him to Rota.

The confidential source asked what’s the content of the package and Toves replied in Chamorro that it’s “ice.” The confidential source refused to be involved in an “ice” deal so he/she hung up the phone.

Manglona said the confidential source was a passenger of the same flight along with two other individuals.

While the plane bound for Rota taxied out onto the runway on Saipan, a passenger (witness) next to the confidential source asked if he/she knew Toves.

The confidential source asked why he was asking about Toves, and the passenger replied that he was handcarrying a package given to him by Flawau and intended for Toves.

The confidential source told the passenger that it contained “ice.” Upon hearing that, the passenger’s friend, who was holding the package, immediately handed the package to the passenger.

When the passenger checked the package, he looked confused and expressed his desire to abandon the package inside the aircraft.

The confidential source told the passenger to hold on to the package as he would make phone calls as they arrive on Rota.

At 6:30pm, the confidential source called the police sergeant and informed him about the package.

As the police were not yet at the airport and Toves was already there asking for the package, the confidential source took the package and drove away with it.

Toves yelled at the confidential source but the confidential source managed to turn over the package to the police.

The passenger told police that prior to leaving Saipan for Rota, Flawau approached him at the Saipan commuter airport and asked him to handcarry a gift package for a person named Toves.

At the Rota airport, the passenger said they were waiting for the police to arrive as the confidential source told him. Toves arrived and asked for the package, but he told him to wait. Toves then handed a cellphone to the passenger. On the other line was Flawau who was raising her voice, telling the passenger to hand over the package to Toves. The confidential source took the package, got into his vehicle, and drove away.

Police then came and interviewed the witnesses.

Manglona said while he was en route to the arrival area of the Rota International Airport to meet with the confidential source and two witnesses, Toves quickly walked away from the arrival section area and left aboard a Finance vehicle.

Manglona said the confidential source later called DPS Dispatch Center to report that Toves called him/her and threatened to kill him/her and family.

Court records show that Toves had burglary cases that were disposed of in 1996 and 1997.