THE CNMI Supreme Court on Friday ordered Attorney General Robert T. Torres or his designee to explain why the government should not be sanctioned for its failure to appear during a hearing on Rota over a traffic case.
The high court ordered Torres to appear in court today to explain why AGO should not be sanctioned in connection with the traffic case filed against Yoo Jai Hoon.
“We are aware that, up to and including the time that the appellate brief was filed, this case was prosecuted by a member of the Attorney General’s Office who has since resigned (Elaine Paplos). We note, however, that responsibility for the commonwealth’s legal representation lies primarily with (AGO), and not with any individual attorney therein,” said the high tribunal’s order signed by Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan and Associate Justices Alexandro C. Castro and John A. Manglona.
Yoo’s case was scheduled for appellate hearing on Rota last Thursday before the full panel of justices.
On Wednesday, Yoo’s counsel filed a notice of non-appearance and declaration explaining that he had served as trial attorney on the case but had not been retained for the appeal.
The lawyer stated that Yoo himself had returned to South Korea early in 2001 after being diagnosed with cancer.
