Upon our tenant’s directive to one of the men was to focus the camera onto our personal property for which my family resides.
It has also been recorded by our family residents on numerous occasions, where our tenant is (1) walking or (2) driving in his personal vehicle entering our premises not for the purpose of allowed passage to enter or exit his side of property but instead to take pictures of our residence, our family including the children, parking space, storage space, and personal belongings. This occurs both during daylight and evening. Permission to do such things was not given and when asked why, he angrily replies that it is for evidence against us. Such breach into our property is suspicious as we have been recently broke into and had items stolen. Smaller items have also been missing since then including a registered dog. For the 15+ years we have been on this property, a theft hasn’t ever occurred until these recent trespasses.
On one occasion upon confronting our tenant because he was verbally harassing my family member and disturbing the peace in our residence, he stated that he had pictures that will be used as evidence against us. With other matters that were involved in addition to that breach in the privacy, e.g. the parking space complaint, the CNMI DPS police was called. The police stated to our tenant that the complaint matters in question of that evening was a civil matter and they could not be involved.
Throughout the months, several other people claiming they are government agency employees including our tenant and his “local” representative/consultant (that’s how he refers to them as if they were without names — “local representative”) have been found to be walking around our premises and the adjacent property. No permission was ever asked of us nor was permission to do such ever granted. These people seem to be scouting the property, surveying, in addition to taking pictures for who knows on what grounds. We have not received anything in writing from these so claimed government employees. This corrupted trespass and “local” connection that some people in the CNMI government take part of have got to cease immediately! Peace is being extricated from us. This is a serious disturbance that should not be mistaken for mere annoyance.
On 8/2/11’s occasion upon confronting him of why his newly installed surveillance camera is focused directly at our property, again he replies “for evidence against us.” We have asked nicely verbally and by email for this unnecessary surveillance on our family and the children to cease. It is now September and there are even more cameras than were originally in August.
In respect to this matter, I would so like to state that:
1) My family and I are not doing anything illegal nor conducting any illegal activities nor hiding anything illegal, therefore, surveillance cameras directed at us and our belongings breach our right to privacy.
2) Safety is an issue as children are involved. Implementing security measures in order to safeguard the life, safety and well-being of all residents are something we would allow with permission as we are the property owners. The people our tenant have been allowing to enter our property with do not have our permission nor have notified us of their intent to survey and use surveillance. This is trespassing and breaching our right to keep our family and our belongings safe.
3) “Evidence,” as our tenant calls it, that is used by our tenant and those who trespassed and took surveillance without our permission needs to be confiscated for review, providing a copy to us to make sure it is not nor will not be used inappropriately to harm one physically, financially, mentally or socially. And hopefully it will be destroyed and disposed of.
There is a question as to the point at which these surveillance systems are and will become more and more invasive and for what inappropriate activities will this surveillance be used for. The general rule is that law-abiding citizens are entitled to use and enjoy their homes without unreasonable interference or annoyance. Our tenant has brought much interference and annoyance since he started renting our property. We simply try to live peacefully without complain and engagement with him but there’s so much that one can take.
I am highly concerned because this tenant has been taking pictures and video of the children. These are minor children that are my family members. With news headlines of increase of immoral acts done to children, it makes me wonder what use these pictures and video of the kids will be used for. Are they selling these or are they streaming this online too? If they are, this is a tort or civil wrong. Isn’t this non-consensual family/children photography and video surveillance a form of intentional intrusion into our private life or affairs? One tries not to think negatively but one must be cautious as well.
We would like to take measures to prevent this breach of privacy, disturbance of the peace, trespassing, unauthorized surveillance from continuing further, re-occuring, and manifesting itself to take away our few civil liberties.
We do not allow this pessimistic conduct. We can no longer tolerate our tenant’s course of conduct — which interferes with, disturbs, or is intended to interfere with or disturb our privacy, our comfort, our peace, our repose or quiet enjoyment.
I seek your assistance and direction to the appropriate authorities and agencies that can help us.
Thank you for your time and prompt attention.
Sincerely,
JEANIFFER H. CUBANGBANG
As Terlaje, Saipan
P.S. I have removed personal or identifiable information for the purposes of not being even more harassed by so-called tenant.
