Ji Jing Borja
SUPERIOR Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo has ordered Ji Jing Borja, a tour guide, to pay a fine of $500 for his involvement in a Fish and Wildlife bribery case.
Borja, represented by Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig, pled guilty to the offense of “offering, receiving and soliciting gifts or favors” on Dec. 21, 2023. Chief Prosecutor Chester Hinds appeared for the government.
In addition to the $500 fine, Borja will pay a court cost of $25, which is due on Feb. 22, 2024.
Judge Govendo scheduled a review hearing for Feb. 22 at 1:30 p.m.
Borja’s co-defendant, Marvin Rodney Pangelinan, was previously ordered to pay a $500 fine and a court cost of $25.
On July 13, 2023, Pangelinan, who was represented by attorney Richard Miller, pled guilty to the offense of solicitation or receipt of money for advice or assistance.
According to the information filed in Superior Court by the Office of the Attorney General on March 28, 2023, Borja paid Pangelinan, an employee of the CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, $100 “so that [Borja] could run his business at the Grotto without proper documentation as required under CNMI law, in violation of 6 CMC § 3201, and made punishable by 6 CMC § 3201.”
“On or about Feb. 12, 2023, on Saipan…Marvin Rodney Pangelinan unlawfully gave or received something of value in wrongful and corrupt payment for an official act done or not done, to be done or not to be done,” the information stated.
The alleged transaction was recorded on video by Borja.
Pangelinan denied the allegation while Borja told Variety that it was a “video prank” to teach Pangelinan a lesson “because he likes to borrow money from tourist guides.”
According to the AG’s office, Borja operates and/or is employed by Blue Ocean Tinian Corporation, the holder of a CNMI business license to operate as a scuba diving tour operator on Tinian.
But on Feb. 12, 2023, “Blue Ocean or Borja did not have a business license to operate as a scuba diving tour operator on Saipan, nor did it, or Borja, possess a water sports permit issued by the CNMI Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality-Division of Coastal Resources Management.”
Despite not having either a valid business license or water sports permit, Borja brought a group of tourists to the Grotto to go scuba diving, the OAG stated.
“Pangelinan, while working in his official capacity as a conservation officer at the Grotto, requested to receive $200, and/or Borja offered to pay him $200, to allow Borja to conduct his business as a commercial scuba diving operator without the required water sports permit or business license,” the OAG added.
