Filipino Found Guilty in Stabbing Death Sioner Was Never Obtained
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THE GECKO &NEWS TAKES ON VIEWS A NEW SKIN I I I See page 9 Published Weekly Every Thursday P,O, Box 231 3 Saipan3 M.I, 96950 MARCH 23, 1973 VOL. 53 PRICE: 10¢ .. RE MICRONESIANS RIGHTS 1 King told the Marian~s Do Micronesians have any case against the Continen Ever since the Microne Variety. "In that res rights to assert under the tal Hotel had been dismis sian Legal Services Cor pect, I think the Conti Trusteeship Agreement? sed. MLSC is representing poration began its work in Micronesia, it has at nental suit is a landmark This question seemed ten residents of Saipan for Micronesia, 11 he said. who oppose construction of tempted to have clarified paramount in the minds of The dismissal of the the hotel on Micro Beach, the issue of exactly what the Micronesian Legal suit by Judge Samuel P. reputed to be the most a Micronesian's rights are Services attorneys on Wed King of U.S. District nesday when they first favored public beach on under the Trusteeship Agreement, attorney Ed Court in Honolulu can be received word that the the island. viewed as a landmark in the sense that at first hearing, via telephone on Wednesday, it seems to ALL IS OUIET AT clarify Micronesians' rights -- by closing their TOWN HOUSE avenues of redress for ad Jose S. Pangelinan is verse actions of Trust receiving only $200 a Territory officials. month in rent for his The avenue of appeal is Beach Road property that still open though. At the Town House shopping this writing, it is almost center occupies. This in a certain thing that MI.SC formation has come to will appeal the decision light in the wake of the to a federal appeals complaint filed March 12 court. First, it is iike by Maria C. Vaughn, who ly that the attorneys will leases Pangelinan's pro seek an injunction from perty and subleases it to Judge King to stop further Town House (Marianas Vari- constmuction of the hotel; , ety, March 16). WHERE HAS ALL THE TANGANTANGAN GONE? Gone to give a if that fails, they will Mrs. Vaughn is seeking a little breathing space for the old Japanese Hospital. next seek an injunction . declaratory judgement that The clearance project is part of the Marianas Dis from the appeals court her 1969 lease with Pange trict's tourist enticement program. Continued on page 2 linan and thus her sub lease with Town House-- is valid, even though approv al of the High Commis Filipino found guilty in stabbing death sioner was never obtained. A Filipino construction This approval is mandated Edward F. Ada, 20, died on them. Marianas Sheriff worker has been judged by TT laws that require from stab wounds in the Antonio Benavente was re guilty of involuntary man the HiCom's assent to chest suffered outside the ported in the Guam newspa slaughter in the November alien interests in land. Diaz Soba Lunch on Beach pers as having said that 10 stabbing death of a Road in Chalan Kanoa. Tes Lanzanas and his companion ~rs. Vaughn's late hus Saipanese youth. This banct, George Vaughn, the timony of witnesses given "were defending them verdict against Hilario 11 co-signer of the lease, to police at the time selves. Lanzanas, 43, was handed was not a citizen of the strongly indicated that The verdict of man- down by Chief Justice Har Lanzanas and a Filipino slaughter, reached without Trust Territory. old Burnett of the TT High Last October, Pangelinan companion acted in se'if a jury, carries a penalty Continued on page 2 Court on March 14. defense to stop an attack Continued on page 8 ; .(· ... • Page 2 MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS & VIEWS Marah 23 1973 CONTIN TA SUIT .... pending the preparation o immediately after they action and the propriety steppingstone" from the the appeal. were informed of the deci of the venue, or court to Eniwetok case, in which The Trust Territory At sion, but before seeing a which the case was taken. the U.S. Air Force was re torney General's Office written copy of the The present legal status quired to submit a NEPA viewed the dismissal as a judge's opinion, MLSC at of the Trust Territory and environmental impact II con f irmation of the posi- torneys Ed King and Sam the obligations of the statement detailing the tion which we have always Withers said: United States as the Ad- effect of its cratering taken with respect to the "We consider this just ministering. Author! ty experiments on the island. present legal status of another hurdle on our way "often-times conflict," NEPA, in that case (also the Trust Territory· That to victory. We've known admitted Carlos Salii in decided by Judge King), it is not an agency of the all along that no matter his statement for the At was held to be applicable United States." This what Judge King decided, torney General's Office. to federal undertakings statement was also made on we would have to go to the "For instance," he said, within the Trust Ter- Wednesday by Carlos Salii, U.S. Circuit Court of Ap "this present case was ritory. who represented the High peals to obtain a final · predicated on, in addition Commissioner, a defendant ruling. to the applicability of in the suit along with "Judge King's opinion is NEPA, the obligation of Continental Airlines. very encouraging in the the United States to pro Judge King's lengthy 32- way it sharpens the issues tect the Micronesians from TOWN HOUSE ... and makes many findings in loss of their lands. We page ruling held in es asked the Micronesian support of our posi~ion. should point out that the sence, that the Tr et Legal Services Corporation He even said that his land leased by Continental Territory government _s on Saipan to represent him not a federal agency t.mder decision was made with will continue to remain great reluctance. public land and that the in the negotiation of a the definition of such an new lease. ~SC is conti agency contained in the "We have too much con execution of the Continen fidence in the American tal lease was for the best nuing to represent Pange Administrative Procedures linan, and is in the Act, and that, therefore, system of government to interest of Micronesians believe for a moment that in that it promotes eco process of preparing an the National Environmental answer to Mrs. Vaughn's Protection Act (NEPA), Micronesians ultimately nomic development of Mic will be left without power ronesia." complaint; this must be which applies to federal filed with the High Court agencies, does not apply to assert rights being Ed King, when asked by denied them by American the Marianas Variety what by April 2. to actions taken by the Mrs. Vaughn is repre Trust Territory govern officials here." effect the Continental Without this power to case might have on con sented by Town House's at ment. torney on Guam, Donald G. At issue in the Saipan assert their rights, how struction of the planned will Micronesians work to (and also controversial - Lawrence. residents' suit was the Pangelinan and his at question of whether Conti preserve their resources, see Marianas Variety, Jan their land, their customs? uary 26) Inter-Continental torneys have contended all nental should be required along that the lease is to comply with provisions asked Ed King. "I regard Hotel on Micro Beach adja totally invalid. They ex of NEPA by filing an envi the Trusteeship Agree cent to the Continental press hopes, however, that ronmental impact statement ment," he said, "almost as site, said it definitely the matter can be resolved discussing what effect the a constitution Eor Micro could have an effect. amicably. hotel will have on the nesia until such time as This is so because a Micro Beach site. an independent government favorable ruling by the The plaintiffs' basic is established here. It federal appeals court contention all along has has the specificity of the would make NEPA 's environ been that construction of U.S. Constitution." But mental protections applic the 200-room hotel adja Wednesday's decision ap able to that hotel and all cent to Saipan's favorite pears to indicate, added other construction on pub ' beach will act as a King, that Micronesians lic land in the Territory. psychological deterrent to cannot go to federal court The two situations are use of the beach by the and challenge official ac somewhat different, how island's residents -- thus tions simply tmder the ever, in that the Inter turning it over to the Trusteeship Agreement, and Continental Hotel would tourists. The hotel, without specific TT provi not so squarely block the construction of which has sions or laws on which to main section of Micro base a case. Beach. reached the pile-driving The plaintiffs in the stage, is being built on Al though the judge's Continental suit are public land leased to the ruling was made "with Joaquin P. Villagomez, company by the Trust Ter great reluctance," he de Rick R. Marciano, John S. ritory government. Grant NIPUU JOI, cided favorably a number Rosario, Ben A. Guerrero, RIRDtOST FOODS COMPANY ing of this lease by the of other critical issues Nick Santos, Justin S. ... ,enc IICI. I.I.I. High Commissioner is the raised by the plaintiffs, Manglona, Jesus A. Sasa RADE INQUIRIES: official government action such as their standing to moto, David T. Aldan, Lino PETER FISHER TRADING PTY. LTD.