MATUA Council for Native Chamorro Advancement President Liana M. S. Hofschneider has asked Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, Senate President Edith Deleon Guerrero and Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez to fire Indigenous Affairs Office Resident Executive Ross H. Manglona.
In a letter, Hofschneider said Matua is looking forward “to the immediate appointment of a new resident executive.”
Hofschneider said Manglona can be reassigned to another office “where he can be best utilized by the administration.”
She said days after Manglona’s appointment was confirmed, “he took a bold decision to publicly attack, chastise, harass, intimidate and character assassinate the officers and supporters of Matua Council.”
Hofschneider accused Manglona of making false and misleading statements and taking action that “caused to incite hate and harassment of the members and supporters of the Matua Council by certain individuals both in person and on several social media platforms.”
She said prior to his appointment, Manglona made several phone calls to the Matua Council members seeking their support and endorsement.
She said she had to mention this because of the recent incidents that showed Manglona’s character, which Matua Council members “were not aware of at the time.”
Hofschneider said they wrote a letter to the Legislature expressing support for Manglona’s appointment.
“Unfortunately, since his appointment and confirmation, Mr. Manglona has not taken the opportunity to contact or communicate with any member of the council for a meeting to discuss critical matters brought before him on issues of importance and priorities affecting the Chamorro population who are present in the Northern Mariana Islands, including those in the diaspora, to list a few,” Hofschneider said.
Instead, she said Manglona gave interviews to various media entities. During those interviews, Hofschneider said Manglona and Carolinian Affairs Office Executive Assistant Felix Nogis “provided [a farcical] narrative of the advocacy position of the indigenous advocate group — the Matua Council.”
Manglona also allowed his office to engage in “farcical” historical information and misinformation regarding the mandates of Article 3, Section 23 of the CNMI Constitution that requires the IAO to represent and perform in the best interest of the Chamorro population.
Separatist
Asked for comment, Manglona said, “It’s rather disappointing to see this type of separatist ideology on our islands.”
“How can one preach spiritual faith and hate all in one breath? Upon the federal government’s arrival on our shores they found two distinct cultures,” Manglona said.
He said the Refaluwasch “were part of the shaping of our political system. This is evident in the land alienation portion of the Constitution.”
He added, “These are ignorant people speaking on issues they can’t begin to comprehend. It’s truly shameful for adults to behave with such contempt for their fellow men. I don’t see their letter getting any traction as they are less than a minority sharing such racist beliefs,” Manglona said.
He also told Variety that Hofschneider wrote the letter on June 25, in an attempt to stop the IAO float from participating in the Liberation Day parade.
‘Ultra racist’
Former Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb, for his part, said Hofschneider’s “antagonist comment” is “ultra racist.”
Tebuteb said, “The desire to tear God-loving Chamorros and Refaluwasch apart and telling the governor to remove the IAO director is uncalled for. [It’s the work of] an egotistical egotist who espouses hate.”
He said the Refaluwasch and the Chamorros, for so many years, “have lived harmoniously in these beautiful God-given islands. The ignorance recently displayed is yet another attempt to incite hostility. It is not going to work,” he added.
Ross Manglona
