By Emmanuel T. Erediano
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Variety News Staff
BY unanimously adopting Senate Resolution 24-13, authored by Sen. Paul A. Manglona, the Senate on Friday honored former Supreme Court Associate Justice Perry Borja Inos.
Inos, who ascended to the Supreme Court in March 2013 after serving five years as a Superior Court associate judge, submitted his resignation letter to Gov. David M. Apatang two weeks ago. The governor and Lt. Gov. Dennis James Mendiola thanked him for his 17 years of service in the CNMI judiciary.
S.R. 24-13 stated that Inos made substantial and lasting contributions to the development of the law and the administration of justice. He served on panels addressing significant and complex legal issues and consistently upheld the highest standards of judicial integrity, fairness, and professionalism.
A voting member of the Judicial Council and chair of several Supreme Court committees, Inos provided outstanding leadership, helping to shape judicial policy, strengthen institutional practices, and elevate professional standards within the Judiciary.
He played a pivotal role in judicial education and regional collaboration as a member of the Pacific Judicial Council’s Education Committee and further assisted the Guam Supreme Court as a justice pro tem when designated.
The resolution also noted that Inos spearheaded the drafting and development of numerous key Judiciary rules and policies. He notably provided leadership on the Interpreter and Translator Code of Conduct Committee. This ensured meaningful access to the courts for limited English proficient individuals and led to the adoption of the Judiciary’s Language Access Policy and Plan.
Inos was also instrumental in drafting the Judiciary’s Procurement Rules, promoting accountability, transparency, and efficiency in government expenditures. He chaired or contributed to other critical committees such as Indigent Representation, Rules Governing Procedure for Traffic and Other Infractions, Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rules of Evidence, and Judiciary Vehicle Policy.
He also played a critical role in advocating for the passage of the Commonwealth Recorder’s Act of 2020 and in drafting the Rules of Electronic Recordation. Together, these efforts modernized the CNMI court system by enabling the transition from manual, in-person recordation to a comprehensive system of electronic recordation.
Beyond his judicial duties, Inos demonstrated a deep commitment to public service and community engagement through his participation in Judiciary outreach programs and his volunteer service as a member of the Rotary Club of Saipan.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
