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Yumul: I was never arrested
Saipan Tribune retracts the story titled “Rep. Yumul faces possible arrest, again” that was published last June 14, 2021, and clarifies that Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (R-Saipan) was never arrested pursuant to a case filed by Triple J. Saipan Inc. against Pacific Foods CNMI, LLC, which managed the IHOP and Ajisen restaurants.
Further, Saipan Tribune apologizes to Yumul, his family, and his constituents for this breach of journalism ethics and integrity and we also apologize to our readers for our lack of rigor in fact-checking this story.
In an email from Yumul yesterday, he denies being arrested and released from the Department of Correction, clarifying that he missed a court hearing and a bench warrant was issued but the hearing was rescheduled after he paid a $500 fee.
Yumul said the Saipan Tribune article that was published on June 14, 2021, “was devoid of many facts, and the most important one was the fact that I was never arrested. I was never ‘released’ from the Department of Corrections because I was never put in prison. Why would your reporter say such malicious things about me?”
In the language of the court documents, Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo commanded the arrest of Yumul on April 22 for failing to appear at the April 16 hearing and to have him brought before the Superior Court. In an order upon posting bail on May 26, the language stated that Yumul posted bail in the amount of $500 and it was ordered that he be released from custody and directed to return to court on June 28.
“I missed a court hearing and subsequently a bench warrant was issued. There was nothing sinister on my part. I paid a $500 fee and had the date rescheduled. End of story,” said Yumul in his email. (Saipan Tribune)
