By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
NORES S. Langu has been charged with first-degree sexual assault and disturbing the peace after allegedly allowing his friend, Mariano Falig Jr., to sexually assault Langu’s common-law wife while she was asleep, according to court documents.
The woman told investigators she awoke on Sept. 26 to find Falig on top of her while Langu was in the same room. She initially believed it was Langu, but realized otherwise when she heard his voice from the side of the bed. She said she jumped up, confronted Langu, and ran out of the room crying. While calling the police, she saw that the man in the room was Falig.
Falig has been charged with first-degree sexual assault, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace.
At a bail hearing Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Lillian Tenorio set cash bail at $25,000 for each defendant. Both men were remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections and ordered to return for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 28 at 9 a.m., followed by arraignment on Nov. 3 at 9 a.m.
Langu is represented by Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig. Assistant Attorney General David Krach appeared for the government. The court will appoint counsel for Falig.
According to the complaint, the woman said she had returned home with Langu and their children after work and a stop at the store, where Langu purchased a half-case of beer. After drinking together, the couple argued, and she told Langu to leave the house. She said she locked all the doors before going to bed.
Around midnight, she said she awoke to someone pulling down her pants. She told investigators she said “no,” but the man proceeded to get on top of her. When she heard Langu’s voice from the side, she realized it was someone else assaulting her.
The next day, she said Langu admitted he had allowed Falig to have sex with her while she was asleep.
During a temporary restraining order hearing on Oct. 9 before Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio, Langu confirmed his wife’s account. He admitted bringing Falig into the room and instructing him to undress and get on top of her. When asked why, Langu reportedly said it was because she had kicked him out of the house and had been “hiding stuff” from him.
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.
