By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
SUPERIOR Court Judge Joseph N. Camacho has scheduled the jury trial of Lt. Gov. Dennis Mendiola, Homeland Security official Joey Dela Cruz, and Lt. Justin Paul Mizutani of the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services for March 9, 2026, at 9 a.m.
Mendiola, Dela Cruz, and Mizutani earlier entered pleas of not guilty to charges of misconduct in public office for allegedly misusing public funds to rent vehicles and for transporting one to Rota illegally.
In his order issued on Oct. 17, setting the jury trial, Judge Camacho noted, “The parties shall not include this case in a global non-trial disposition in another case without first obtaining permission of the undersigned judge.”
Judge Camacho also scheduled a pre-trial conference on Feb. 4, 2026, at 10 a.m., to discuss jury instructions, jury summons, and other related issues.
Mendiola faces three counts of misconduct in public office and one count of theft. Mizutani is charged with one count each of misconduct and theft, while Dela Cruz faces one count of misconduct.
At the status hearing on Friday, Mendiola was represented by attorney Bruce Berline, Mizutani by attorney Joey P. San Nicolas, and Dela Cruz by attorney Charity Hodson. Assistant Attorney General Olga Kelley appeared for the government.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
