“We have not received any report about that,” he added.
He said DPS has a command post in the area as well as patrolling officers.
A Liberation Day committee member said they heard about the rumor last week from the public.
“There are DPS officers on patrol throughout the festival grounds every night, until closing time, and the committee members also patrol the festival grounds. None of the committee members and none of the DPS officers have any knowledge of any rape incident in the area,” Bill Bezzant, a committee member, said.
“No report has been made to anyone on the committee, nor to DPS,” he added. “The only way we know about this is from being asked by people in the community who have heard a rumor. Until we receive a real report, from a real person, or until that person makes a report to DPS or even to the Marianas Variety, we have to presume this is a false rumor spreading because of community-wide paranoia from other recent incidents in Saipan.”
Bezzant said the turnout on Friday and Saturday was the highest yet.
“All the graduates and students are out of school, and everyone came to the Liberation festival to enjoy themselves. Even with the delayed payday, people enjoyed visiting to enjoy the music and performances.”
