During the defendant’s initial court appearance yesterday morning, Superior Court Associate Judge Ramona V. Manglona raised the bail to $10,000 from $6,500 earlier imposed on Franklin Sablan Crisostomo, 42.
Crisostomo was arrested in Susupe on Wednesday based on warrant of arrest issued by Associate Judge Perry B. Inos for disturbing the peace, assault with a dangerous weapon, criminal mischief, and contempt of court.
Police said Crisostomo attacked and threatened to kill Thomas Asack with a machete in the parking lot of the Taste of India Restaurant on Middle Road.
Crisostomo was also found in contempt of court after he violated a temporary restraining order issued by Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo for him to stay away from his former partner, Asack, who worked at the Commonwealth Health Center as a respiratory therapist.
Variety learned that Crisostomo has gone on medical leave while NMC has issued a security alert against Crisostomo.
In the machete attack on Sunday morning, Detective Simon Manacop said in his affidavit of probable cause that Asack was traveling south on his scooter when a speeding vehicle from the opposite side passed near him.
Police said Asack identified the driver as Crisostomo.
Asack then stopped his scooter in front of a restaurant to call for police assistance when Crisostomo’s car pulled over.
Crisostomo alighted and attacked Asack with a machete while shouting “I’m gonna’ kill you!” police said.
Asack ran toward the highway while Crisostomo chased him, police added.
An approaching blue sedan opened its rear door and Asack hurriedly jumped into the vehicle for his safety.
But Crisostomo stood in front of the car and blocked its path while swinging his machete, damaging the front right portion of the vehicle’s hood, police said.
“[Crisostomo] then moved toward the driver side of the vehicle and swung the machete again, this time damaging the top left portion of the front windshield,” Manacop told the court.
The driver, with her passenger and Asack, drove to the McDonald’s parking lot, where they called for police assistance.
Police said Asack’s bagpack was already missing when he returned for his scooter.
Court records showed that Asack filed on Jan. 6, 2010 for a petition for temporary restraining order against Crisostomo pursuant to the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Act of 2000.
In his statement, Asack told the court that he met Crisostomo “by using ‘ice.’ ”
“I’m scared to even be living here in the island,” Asack said.
“I didn’t like what I did and tried to change,” he said, noting that Crisostomo had started stalking and threatening him.
“Frank has made my life very miserable,” Asack told the court,
The most recent incident was the night before Asack filed the petition for TRO.
Last Christmas, Asack said he got death threats from Crisostomo.
Asack said he decided to resign from his work because “[Crisostomo] reported [Asack] to the human resources office for drug abuse.”
Aside from threats, Asack told the court that Crisostomo had been asking for money.
“Frank and his friends say things like they will ‘barbeque’ me, kill me,” Asack said.
Crisostomo even told Asack to report to the police “because [Crisostomo] is related to all the police but [Asack is] nothing and [police] won’t listen to anything [Asack] say,” Asack said.
He said he changed apartments and went into hiding.
In the temporary restraining order issued by Judge Govendo on Jan. 13, 2010, Crisostomo was directed by the court to “not molest, attack, strike, threaten, sexually assault, batter, telephone or disturb the peace of [Asack] and [his] family members.”
Crisostomo “shall also stay away from [Asack’s] residence/school and work place as practicable, anywhere in the CNMI.”
The court told Crisostomo to seek counseling at the Community Guidance Center, to surrender any deadly weapon to the court, and not use or possess any firearm or other weapon.
“[Crisostomo] is ordered not to have direct or indirect contact with [Asack’s] former co-workers or anyone that petitioner is closely associated with whether they are in the CNMI or in the United States,” Govendo ordered.
The TRO will expire on Jan. 13, 2011.
