Superior Court Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja, left, administers the oath of office to Attorney General Edward Manibusan at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan on Saturday.
Attorney General Edward Manibusan poses for a photo with his family after he was sworn in on Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan.
ATTORNEY General Edward Eladio Manibusan was sworn in by Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja on Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan.
“In the near term, I will work with the Legislature to pass laws that ensure the office’s independence from political interference,” he said in his remarks.
Manibusan, who secured a third four-year term in the November election, said he will “continue all efforts in protecting our consumers from unscrupulous business practices. I will see to it that our office keeps our community safe by prosecuting those who commit violent acts. I will continue to protect our environment and…ensure an open and honest government.”
Manibusan also promised to engage the Palacios-Apatang administration in making changes to regulations that are necessary to curb waste and abuse in the administration of contracts and other expenditures of public funds.
Manibusan said his office will also be ready to provide legal advice to the governor, the executive department, autonomous agencies and public corporations, but “we will [also] demand their adherence to the rule of law.”
The AG also mentioned the initiatives and progress that he implemented during his previous terms.
“I believe the Office of the Attorney General overall performed exceptionally well,” he said. “We vigorously defended actions as well as claims against the Commonwealth. We brought and settled claims on behalf of the Commonwealth on many different issues such as violation of the zoning laws, building codes, environment laws, consumer-related issues and settled long-standing judgments against the Commonwealth including land compensation claims, personnel matters including the pursuit for the recovery of money as in the case of MV Luta, Imperial Pacific, and many others including the pursuit of illegal overtime payment against members of the executive branch cabinet.”
Manibusan also highlighted his office’s involvement in drafting a Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, which became law.
With the support of Presiding Judge Naraja and the court, the AG said the CNMI now has child support guidelines that ensure “children get the support they need.”
Looking back at the past four years, Manibusan said: “The office ran into many challenges over the course of time. We went through some rough weather and sailed through tranquil waters. We lost some battles and secured legal victories. My [second] term began with the budget crisis when our government was looking for ways to pay its obligations. The Public School System was in a budget battle with the administration. We went through state of emergency disasters in the wake of Typhoons Soudelor, Mangkhut and Yutu. It was also the beginning of our legal battle to retain our sovereign immunity — our legal battle to ensure a safe community by defending a challenge to our gun law. It was also the beginning of time in defending and protecting our scarce resource, our public lands.”
“I cannot do the work by myself,” Manibusan said, but added that he has a dedicated team committed to serving the people of the Commonwealth.
A former Superior Court judge, Manibusan is the CNMI’s first elected AG, which is a non-partisan position.
