ATTORNEY Joaquin DLG Torres wants to exercise his right to speak in Chamorro at the bench trial of Chief of Parole Nick Masga Reyes that begins today, Monday, April 22, at 10 a.m. in Superior Court.
Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho, in an order and notice on Friday, stated that the CNMI Constitution recognizes three official languages: Chamorro, Carolinian and English.
“NMI Supreme Court opinion has stated that even if a defendant understands English, a native speaking Chamorro has an absolute right to speak Chamorro in a court proceeding,” the judge said.
To avoid unnecessary delays, Judge Camacho said, “any attorney(s) who does not understand or does not speak Chamorro are ordered to make arrangements for a Chamorro interpreter for when the defendant or witnesses take the stand to give testimony, or defendant’s counsel otherwise speaks Chamorro during the trial.”
The Office of the Attorney General has charged Reyes with one count of misconduct in public office and four counts of forgery.
According to the OAG, Reyes forged a request for personnel action by changing the term of employment from 30 days to one year.
Reyes “completed, executed, authenticated, issued or transferred a writing that purported to be the act of another, to wit the Governor of the Commonwealth, who did not authorize the act,” the OAG stated.
Reyes has entered a plea of not guilty.
Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, CNMI Parole Board members Lucinda Selepeo and Chris Guerrero, Assistant Attorney General Rebecca Wiggins and AG Investigation Division Chief Investigator Iluk Masayos were summoned by the prosecution to testify in the trial.
In a separate case, Reyes and co-defendant Chuilian Fu, owner of F&S Corporation, were charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, conspiracy to commit theft by deception, and one count of theft by deception.
The OAG stated that on or about Oct. 4, 2022, Reyes “agreed with … Chuilian Fu, that one or both would engage in or solicit theft of property by deception, to wit, the construction of a patio at the Parole Office purported to be constructed by a tailoring company owned by Chulian Fu, F&S Corporation, in the amount of $9,997.80, but actually constructed by uncompensated labor performed by parolees under the direction of … Reyes ….”
In that case, Reyes also pleaded not guilty. Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio scheduled a jury trial for June 3 at 9 a.m.
