Donnici: No Attempt to 'Bribe' Legislature
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........, UNJVERSITI OF HAWAII LIB.RAR'l 'Fatnous tow-el case' reaches .. high court ~ yond reasonable doubt" and ,,~ · sentenced her to "five days in e . j~ -all. suspended·. except· for hours." addition -;-,., ... : 39.' .: . ·. In - ·.··· ., . t :-she ? was. ordered to perfomi,40, ·,:)~ f) :hoursofcommunify,W:orlcser,.: •· :t-}.vice,lllldtostayawayfrofualli· .',.·.:'.."'' ~'.~:· st::zr~\~~~;i~tion ••. , • .................. <i.-•·;:~;~cc~:;:1tj:'. .:".:dubbed aS'-'The '.Great Towel\ .year. A local n~wspaper' s edil\ . t<>rial suggested that the case •. was too .. petty. to merit .. the Daniel DeRienzo court's efforts. .. .·. i,': By Mar•Vlc C Munar .. · · Butlegajcircumstancessur ,. Variety News Staff . ·rounding the case tend to incli"'. .. HERE was a case involving cate its seriousness. · what may be an insignificant Ac_cording to DeRienzo, the towel that prompted the Superior Court's . judgement island's best legal minds to must be reversed because it "is rummage up the US Supreme riddled with errors." Court library. DeRienzocited,forinstance, Yesterday, the high tribunal the police's failure to preserve heard contending parties' oral and present to the court the towel which, he said, was "the Donnici: No attempt arguments on Wang Hong Yan's appeal for the reversal most important piece of evi of her conviction in connec dence necessary for the trial." tion with a towel theft. "How did the trial court with to 'bribe' Legislature Through Chief Public De out having the benefit of actu fender Daniel DeRienzo, Wang ally seeing and examining the By Rafael H. Arroyo to a local lawyer's allegations that said "errors" committed by the towel in question, find beyond Variety News Staff the trust's offer was a "thinly I Superior Court denied her a reasonable doubt that it was THE RECENT offer to fund veiled bribe" supposedly to influ fair trial. the towel leased by the · Dia CNMI projects by a charity trust ence Legislature into passing The case stemmed from an mond Hotel from (Tropical established in the name of the late House Bill 10-147. allegation that Wang stole a Laundry)?" DeRienzo asked. Larry Lee Hillblom is no attempt Saipan attorney Joe Hill, who yellow towel allegedly owned "The omission of the towel to secure passage of a bill that represents a child darning to be by Tropical Laundry from the in the case," DeRienzo wrote could benefit the estate of the late Hillblom' s rightful heir, last Fri Diamond Hotel on Oct. 10, in his briefing, "denied Wang Saipan millionaire. day wrote legislative leaders 1994. an opportunity to present a full This was the ciarification made warning about the possible moti InJanuarylastyear,thelower defense, guaranteed right to by Peter J. Donnici, chairman vation behind the reported offer. court found Wang "guilty be- Continued on page·10 designate of the Larry Lee He urged the Legislature to take Hillblom Foundation, in response caution on the offer and on the legislation seeking to change pro bate laws in the Commonwealth. Donnici in a letter February 9th Diego T. Benavente US Congress poised to informed House Speaker Diego charitable trust, Donnici said he T. Benavente that millions of dol has the moral and legal duty to see lars out ofHillblom' s charity trust to it that Hillblom' s intentions are scrap funding for NMC may be devoted to charitable carried out. causes and purposes n the CNMI. "I know that Larry wanted By Rick Alberto year period expires. Specifically, Donnici said medical, educational and religious Variety News Staff "We're right now in the third money may be available for en charities in the CNMI to be among THE United States Congress is year. So we have two more years," hancement of medical services the beneficiaries of his Trust poised to stop giving funding to McPhetres said. and medical research within the funds," said Donnici. the Northern Marianas College "We hope the Senate version '~ CNMI, as well as for other chari Continued on page 10 by, at the best scenario, 1998. will go, instead of the House ver table, religious and educational ~~ m.:.::..i -~--=== ~ NMC President Agnes M. sion," McPhetres said. uses within the Commonwealth. 1 McPhetres said the yearly fund McPhetres, however, hopes that But according to Hill, the offer ing that the college will lose is after the five-year period, Con was timed with the Legislature's if Weather lj close to $400,000. gress would change its perspec consideration of a probate legis "That is a substantial amount," tive and give more emphasis on lation which would virtually wipe ~ Outlook 11 McPhetres declared. education again. out the chances of Hillblom pa ·1 Under the worst case scenario, The withdrawal of the federal ternity claims, to the benefit of the funding should totally stop funds, according to the NMC the trust. next school year. president, would mean "we will But in a letter to the speaker This federal fund that is fun not have anymore money support Friday, Donnici lambasted Hill neled directly to the college is from the federal government to for his accusations. spent for program development, establish programs." Agnes M. McPhetres "I deeply resent Joe Hill's alle according to McPhetres. "This money has helped us to gation that my February 9 letter to She said the House version of establish the nursing program, the The grant used to be given on a you was a 'thinly veiled bribe.' the bill that affects the NMC to Pacific studies, the education de fi've-year basis. A college has This is an insult not only to me but Partly cloudy with tally eliminates funding for the partment, the distance education, therefore to apply every after five to the legislators who introduced Isolated showers college, while the Senate version and the secretarial science," she years. the bill," Donnici told Benavente. maintains the grant until the five- pointed out. Continued on page 10 As designated chairman of the !' AG NEWSPAPER STACK~ 2-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-WEDNESDAY-FEBRUARY 28, 1996 --------------------------~W:.:.:E::::::.:DNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1996 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-3 yalty on ll(A hit list Date set for governor's address By Rafael H. Arroyo is acceptable to the governor, tion last year when he deliv Variety News Staff Public Information Officer ered his report weeks after LONDON (AP) - Soldiers with Sentries wearing traditional dress facesincetheIRA broke its 17-month to "examine how the (Northern Ire based at Paderbom in Gennany. LAWMAKERS are asking the Mark Broadhurst yesterday Babauta delivered his. heavy machine guns have replaced unifonn, anned with bayonets, stand cease-fire with a truck bomb on Feb. land) peace process can be rebuilt'' On Thursday, 500 British soldiers governor and the Washington said he has yet to talk with the Tenorio also last year opted ceremonial, red-unifonned sentries ing to attention in sentry boxes and 9. The bomb in London's Dock.lands TheBritishAnnysaidSundaynight were flown back to Northern Ire representative to deliver their chief executive on the matter. to issue his report using the on guard outside royal residences much photographed by tourists are business district killed two people. it'ssendinganother400soldiersback land annual reports to the Legisla Article 111 Section 9(b) of television medium ancl not in amidreportsthequeenandherfamily out IntheirplaceatBuckingham After the bombing, Britain and to Northern Ireland This brings the In addition to the beefed up ture in a joint session set for the Constitution directs the total sent back there since the IRA military security for the royals, a joint session of Legislature. are IRA targets. Palace and StJames' Palace in Lon Ireland barred ministers from the two March 6th at the Multi-pur governor to report at least an governments meeting with Sinn Fein ended the cease-fire to 900. police were seen patrolling the Among the topics Tenorio As civil servants prepared to meet don and Windsor Castle 20 miles (30 pose Center in Susupe. nually to the Legislature re with the Irish Republican Anny-al km) west of the capital are watchful but ruled that meetings between civil The additional 400 will bring perimeters of Buckingham Pal centered on in his 1995 addr<.'!ss House Joint Resolution I 0- garding the affairs of the Com soldiers in camouflage fatigues with servants and Sinn Fein could con the number of British soldiers in ace, Queen Elizabeth II' s London were his administration's lat lied Sinn Fein party for the first time 3 which was unanimously monwealth and new measures tinue. the province to 17,400. An Army residence, with handguns in hip est plans to provide for utility since the end of the IRA cease-fire, SA 80 machine guns. adopted by the House of Rep that are necessary or desir LondonnewspapersMondayprinted The Belfast meeting later Monday Sinn Fein deputy leader Martin statement said the 400 form the holsters prominently displayed. improvements like potable wa resentatives and the Senate in able. terand upgraded sewage systems. pictures of the weekend changing of will be the first time civil servants and McGuinness said Monday's meet second battalion of the Royal Dra The number of officers there is separate sessions last week Public Law 7-7, on the other In his report, he also raised the Sinn Fein leaders have met face-to- ing, called at the party's request, was goon Guards. They are currently noticeably highet than last week. the guard. provides for a venue for Gov. hand also directs Babauta to possibility of excluding indigent Froilan C. Tenorio' s state of report annually on the official Micronesian migrants unless they Clinton orders retaliation the Commonwealth· address activities and matters requir can fend for themselves in terms Froilan C. Tenorio Juan N. Babauta and for Resident Representa ing the attention of the gov of education, medical and other against Cuba for shooting tive Juan N.