Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has said that his administration was deliberately being embarrassed by the federal government because of the lawsuit he filed over the federalization law.
House Minority Leader Oscar Babauta, Covenant-Saipan, told his colleagues during their session yesterday that China’s diplomatic office in Los Angeles is demanding an explanation about the incident.
“I rise in support of this resolution,” said Babauta referring to House Resolution 16-58 that the House adopted by a vote of 18-1. “The consulate of China in Los Angeles filed an official complaint to the CNMI demanding answers on what happened on the Oct. 4 [inaugural flight of Shanghai Airlines].”
Close to 150 Chinese tourists complained to the CNMI government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Shanghai that they felt violated when they were subjected to body search upon their arrival here.
According to Rep. Stanley T. Torres, R-Saipan and the principal sponsor of the resolution, the DEA was apparently acting on a tip that some tourists could be carrying illegal drugs.
“But no illegal drugs were found or confiscated during these extensive and unprecedented grilling searches,” the lawmaker said.
House Floor Leader Joseph N. Camacho, R-Saipan, said subjecting 147 tourists to a body search one by one is highly unusual.
He said as far as he knows, the DEA agents randomly select who among the passengers in group of less than 10 should undergo a body search.
Further, he said the search is made before boarding the plane and not after disembarking.
Several amendments were made to the resolution before it was finally brought on the floor for a vote.
Rep. Tina Sablan, Ind.-Saipan, was the only one who voted against the resolution.
She said the DEA should be contacted first to verify the Chinese tourists’ complaints.
She noted that some language used in the resolution was provocative and inflammatory.
Rep. Diego T. Benavente, R-Saipan and chairman of the House Committee on U.S. and Federal Affairs, agreed, and certain phrases were removed from the resolution.
“The Legislature demands a full disclosure of the details that lead up to the incident and calls for the U.S. DEA to disclose details and to apologize to those affected and their government formally, for their transgressions,” part of the resolution reads.
It added: “The House further demands a disclosure to Chinese officials that this episode was prompted by the U.S. DEA and not by local commonwealth customs or immigration officials.”
