Fitial fled from reporters and sought refuge in his office after the conclusion of a brief signing ceremony yesterday afternoon with visiting U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta regarding a $1.2 million grant for the CNMI.
Before the news briefing, acting Press Secretary Teresa Kim told the media that the governor would not entertain any questions.
She also introduced the new press secretary, Angel Demapan, a Ben & Eloy supporter previously based in Hawaii.
Demapan said he looks forward to establishing a good working relationship with the media.
After the ceremony, reporters tried to ask the governor about the masseuse issue, but he said nothing as he walked faster than usual toward his ground floor office adjacent to the conference room.
Prior to her arrest, the federal detainee, Qingmei Cheng, worked as a masseuse for YuYu Spa for $600 a month.
Authorities, however, would not confirm if she was the one sneaked out of the jail.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Cheng was one of the two ringleaders in the failed attempt to smuggle 24 Chinese nationals to Guam aboard a boat launched on Saipan.
