Faisao reversed the decision of the Saipan Seniors Advisory Council which suspended its former president, Felix Flawau, who has been accused of committing a “violent action.”
The advisory council already asked Gov. Benigno R. Fitial to look into its complaint against Faisao.
Variety was told that information of the incident involving Flawau and the action taken by Faisao were also reported to the Administration on Aging, Region IX office.
Teresita Sorroza, the advisory council chairwoman, said Faisao didn’t make any effort to investigate the incident and instead of “fighting for justice and peace at the manamko’ center he reinstated Flawau.”
Variety failed to get a comment from Faisao or Flawau.
Aging Office Director Rose Mondala concurred with the recommendation of the advisory council to suspend Flawau for one month starting Oct. 27.
“We are aware of the fact that as a non-profit organization we are not authorized to solely issue any disciplinary action to clients here at the Aging Center; however, we as an advisory board are entitled to make recommendations to the director as stated in our by-lays,” Sorroza said in her letter to Faisao.
Sorroza said some Aging Center clients and members of the advisory council are ready to go on “strike” and forfeit their positions if no action is taken against Flawau.
“We feel violated and disappointed that there is no protection for the manamko’ at the center and that violent acts and tantrums are easily pardoned and forgotten by you,” she told Faisao.
Intimidated
Since the day Flawau “misbehaved,” some congregates have been intimidated and no longer report to the center, Variety was told.
“Clients were shaken up by the loud unexpected noise caused by you punching the table repeatedly, therefore prompting us to take action to prevent such an incident from happening again,” Jose M. Torres, advisory council vice chairman, said in his letter to Flawau.
Torres said Flawau’s violent action caused panic among many of the manamko’, “some of which have heart conditions.”
Sorroza said the families of some of the manamko’ might file a complaint against Flawau with the Department of Public Safety and the Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy Systems Inc. and even a lawsuit against DCCA and the Office on Aging.
Legal authority
Sorroza told Faisao that disciplinary action is needed to ensure that Flawau will not upset the peace and order at the center.
She said Flawau has been distracting the congregates at the center, calling them names.
“Mr. Flawau has repeatedly called the members of the advisory council ‘dumb and without brains.’ Mr. Faisao, because of your actions, you have truly made us feel this way. You have taken the side of the perpetrator and not the victims. This to me shows very poor leadership and bias on your part,” Sorroza told Faisao.
In a memorandum dated Oct. 29, Faisao said the “Manamko’ Council does not have any legal authority to impose suspension or termination on any participant to the programs of the…Office on Aging.”
He said “the department head (secretary, DCCA) is the appointing authority to render decision or determination in respect to the legal procedure in ensuring accountability and transparency to the objective and mission of the division program.”
Some congregates said Faisao is micro-managing the Aging Center.
The congregates showed to this reporter the rules of the manamko’, which prohibit fighting, disturbing the peace, harassment, stealing, smoking and other inappropriate behavior.
Faisao said the advisory council may “refer any individual that may potentially be conducting violations or infractions…to the attention of the Aging Center director.”
He said he should be furnished a written copy of the concern before coming up with a decision regarding allegations.
Sorroza said other congregates were suspended in the past whenever they misbehaved or violated the rules of the center.
