By Bryan Manabat
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
A LONGTIME Parks and Recreation employee has been cited for theft and misuse of a government vehicle after he was found collecting downed copper wire and loading it into a government pickup truck at Paupau Beach last Friday.
Variety is withholding the employee’s name until charges are formally filed.
Parks and Recreation Director Mike Cruz confirmed the incident and said he personally reported the employee to the Department of Public Safety on April 24.
“I don’t tolerate illegal activity, especially during Typhoon Sinlaku recovery operations,” Cruz said.
Cruz said the employee reported for work on Monday, but he informed him that he was being removed from all typhoon recovery duties. He added that Department of Land and Natural Resources Secretary Sylvan Igisomar has been notified.
Cruz said he discovered the copper wire in the back of the government vehicle the employee was using.
“We’re not supposed to carry copper wire in a government vehicle,” he said.
The case, which was reported to DPS on April 24, remains under review.
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.
