HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Jenna Manibusan was detained at the Department of Corrections on $100,000 cash bail after she was indicted on charges related to the fatal shooting and robbery of Sumittra Lairopi.
Last week, a grand jury returned a true bill finding there was probable cause to charge Manibusan with complicity to commit aggravated murder, complicity to commit first-degree robbery, complicity to commit theft of a motor vehicle and theft by receiving.
Manibusan and her boyfriend and co-defendant, Domingo Mendiola, were charged in connection to shooting Lairopi at Thai Thai Healthy Cuisine restaurant in Tamuning on Feb. 14.
According to court documents, Mendiola fired the shots that killed Lairopi and stole Lairopi’s car, while Manibusan allegedly planned with Mendiola to commit a robbery.
Manibusan was initially charged with Mendiola in a magistrate’s complaint. However, it was dismissed because there was a lack of probable cause.
The indictment, however, resulted in a warrant being issued for Manibusan’s arrest and instructions to appear in the Superior Court of Guam Tuesday afternoon before Magistrate Judge Benjamin Sison to determine if she should be released or held pending her trial.
Hearing
At the hearing, Assistant Attorney General Charles Carsey asked Sison to hold Manibusan at DOC on the basis she is a danger to the public, a flight risk and unlikely to comply with court orders.
Attorney Richard Dirkx, from the Alternate Public Defender office, responded with an extensive argument with reasons why Manibusan should not be confined.
Dirkx said that Manibusan, within hours of being indicted, was served a warrant and turned herself in voluntarily to authorities.
“I doubt the court’s ever seen that before, but that is not the action of somebody who’s a flight risk,” said Dirkx who continued by discussing Manibusan’s cooperation with the Guam Police Department’s investigation before her initial charging.
According to Dirkx, a search warrant was issued for Manibusan’s residence, and she was taken into GPD custody to be questioned about the shooting at Thai Thai.
“When police arrived to execute the search warrant, she was taken into custody at gunpoint in front of her children. … Notwithstanding that, she waived all of her rights, she cooperated with the police (and) talked to each detective who wanted to speak with her for as long as she wanted to speak with her. … She authorized further searches of her property that were beyond the scope of the warrant,” Dirkx explained.
“Once again, this is not the action of a guilty person. It’s the action of somebody who’s cooperating with law enforcement,” Dirkx added.
While Dirkx also highlighted that Manibusan has a full-time job, has children in her care, has no criminal record and requested for Manibusan’s release, Sison decided to hold Manibusan on $100,000 cash bail.
“We do have an indictment, and we do have very serious charges here. I’m not willing to release her on a personal recognizance,” Sison said, before explaining he’d be open to having Manibusan released on electronic monitoring or to a third-party custodian who would supervise her at all hours when released.
Manibusan is scheduled to answer to her charges at her arraignment hearing March 19.
Mendiola, who is also being held at DOC on $500,000 cash bail, will appear in court for his arraignment Thursday at 2 p.m.
Thai Thai Healthy Cuisine restaurant in Tamuning on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.
