SUPERIOR Court Judge Pro Tem Alberto E. Tolentino has granted the request of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres to speak in Chamorro during his trial.
The judge likewise granted the parties’ request for Chamorro and Carolinian interpreters.
At the case management conference hearing on Monday, the Office of the Attorney General was represented by Chief Solicitor J. Robert Glass Jr., and Assistant Attorney General Steve Kessel while the governor, who was also present, was represented by attorneys Viola Alepuyo, Victorino Torres and Anthony H. Aguon.
The governor’s attorneys notified the court of their intent to speak Chamorro during the trial. They also invoked their client’s right to speak Chamorro when testifying.
The parties, moreover, requested the court to consider the possibility of a Refaluwasch/Carolinian interpreter to be on standby should there be a need.
Both requests were granted by the judge who then informed the parties that he will be off-island from July 24 to Aug. 12, 2022.
He said he will hear all motions on June 30 at 9:30 a.m., but he waived the presence of the governor at the hearing.
The judge vacated the jury trial scheduled for July 5, and scheduled a pre-trial conference on the same date at 9 a.m.
The motions hearing set for June 21 at 9 a.m. was vacated, but the proposed jury instructions, witness list, and exhibit lists shall be due by June 21, 2022, the judge said.
“Parties shall be prepared to submit their proposed…questions and to discuss potential notice of expert witnesses,” the judge added.
Chief Solicitor Glass informed the court that he will file an opposition to the defense request to select jurors from the entire CNMI voter registration list and not just from Saipan.
On April 8, 2022, the Office of the Attorney General filed criminal charges against the governor, alleging 12 counts of misconduct in public office and one count of theft relating to the issuance of airline tickets for business class, first class, or other premium class travel for himself and/or first lady Diann T. Torres. The case also alleged one count of contempt for failure to appear in compliance with a legislative subpoena.
Torres has denied the charges, and has asked the court to dismiss the case against him.
His attorneys have also filed a motion to have the AG’s office withdraw or be disqualified as prosecutor in the case.
They said the “AG is prosecuting [the] governor for an alleged violation in which the AG provided legal advice.”
Right to speedy trial
On Monday, the governor’s legal team issued the following statement:
“Governor Ralph Anthony Deleon Guerrero Torres appeared at the CNMI Superior Court this morning for a Case Management Conference. Since Governor Torres asserted his right to a speedy trial, the Court initially scheduled a jury trial on July 5, 2022. However, at the conference, the Court informed Governor Torres that it needed more time to address the pending motions before the Court, including the motion to disqualify the Attorney General and the motion to dismiss this case for selective and vindicative prosecution. The Court then vacated the July 5, 2022 trial date and converted that day to a trial setting conference. Governor Torres looks forward to his day in court, but respects the Court’s order and appreciates the attention that the Court is giving to the very serious motions that are before it.”
