“I made a mistake and I am asking the congregate for forgiveness. I apologize to Flawau,” she told the congregates gathered in the center’s activity hall.
Mondala said she didn’t do her homework when she handled the case of Flawau.
Suspending Flawau without warning was wrong, she added.
“I want to stop all the bickering here. We can’t accomplish anything if we continue this,” she said.
She said when the case of Flawau reached her office she was “carried away” because “I was so busy with the austerity measures affecting us.”
Flawau, a former advisory council president, was suspended for one month starting Oct. 27 upon the recommendation of the council for his violent action.
But Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Melvin O. Faisao reinstated Flawau.
Yesterday, some of the congregates at the Aging Center narrated the “ordeal” they experienced when Flawau “harassed” them.
A cardiac arrest survivor, Jess Kisa, 64, said he felt “drowsy” during the incident when Flawau seemed “very mad.”
“His reaction is not good. He should stop coming here. He has no respect for us, especially the sick,” Kisa said.
On Oct. 25, Flawau, according to witnesses, suddenly “punched” the table and shouted at the other manamko’ at the center.
One of them, Meryalen Conrad, said she was “very scared and was shaking.”
She asked Mondala to call 911 so Flawau could be arrested.
It was her first time to witness a violent action, according to Christiana Michael, treasurer of the Saipan Seniors Advisory Council.
“I was really scared and my heart was beating so fast,” she said.
Mila Garin said when she heard the loud crash she thought it was a bomb.
“I took my pills because I was shaking,” she added.
The following day after the incident, she didn’t go to the center.
Flawau refused to comment, but he said he was preparing a statement to “clarify the issue.”
Terry Sitae, a congregate since 2002, said she was sick for one week after the incident.
She said the incident “really scared” her.
Yesterday, she approached and shook hands with Flawau.
Apology
Mondala urged the congregates to forgive each other.
“Mr. Flawau is one of us,” she said, adding that he already admitted his mistake and had asked for forgiveness.
But some congregates insisted that Flawau should be suspended to give justice to other members who were suspended for “slight offenses.”
They also claimed that Flawau never apologized to them.
Jess Pangelinan, one of those who were suspended for a previous offense, said Mondala should also apologize to him.
James Jordan, who was suspended for two weeks, said there is discrimination at the center.
Kisa said it is “unfair” for those who were suspended if Flawau will get away with this misbehavior.
Teresita Sorroza, the advisory council chairwoman, said the council is working to establish harmony and good relationship among the manamko’
“But how can that happen if one does not want to give in?” she asked.
She said other clients have been suspended in the past for breaking the rules.
Austerity
In an email, Mondala said due to the austerity measures, there was no coffee on Oct. 25, and this resulted in Flawau’s “outburst.”
She said on that day, the center’s drivers didn’t bring in the congregates until 10:30 a.m.
At that time, she believed that serving coffee was not necessary since it was very close to lunch time already.
“Flawau is a dialysis patient and he comes out of [the Commonwealth Health Center] at 10 a.m. and was probably upset that there was no coffee…and that is why he created that commotion,” Mondala said.
She said Flawau has apologized to the manamko’ for his outburst.
“I want the manamko’ here at the center to get along and it has always been my mission to encourage them to get along. Congregation is created for them to come and enjoy the programs that we have here in the center. I know that I will not be able to satisfy everyone’s wish list, but I do my best to meet what is required for the manamko’ here in the center,” she told Variety.
