ar1anas• MICRONESIA'S LEADING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1972 Vol. 15 No. 44 February 20, 1987 Saipan25¢' CNMI fears US land grab try The Commonwealth additional purposes or uses government fears that the if our government .. : United States is starting to acquisces, and does not CHARLIE DOCK grab portions of a total of protest Mr. Armitage's 133 acres of land in Tana­ request," he said. "Will pag covered by a US-CNMI another ten acres be need­ leaseback agreement. ed by the DOD next The fear was caused by month?" a notice received last The technical agreement month from Assistant De­ signed in February 1975 fense Secretary Richard L. and attached to the Armitage who said "an Covenant provides that the urgent military require­ US will make available t. SAIPAN ISLAND ment has arisen" for a five­ without cost to the CNMI acre parcel of property in a total of 133 acres (53.8 Tanapag and "notice is hectares) out of the 177 hereby given that the five­ acres (71.6 hectares) acre site is no longer avail­ leased by the US. able for leaseback." Former Assistant The five-acre site will be Attorney General Dorothy used for a permanent army Sellers said earlier that the reserve center. The US US should be held legally Army Reserve is planning responsible for failing to to start using the site this lease back the property month for its annual two­ when the original agree­ week training period. ment took effect. Price Relocatable "Butler-type said ''it now appears that buildings will be installed the United States is using on the site by a construc­ the lack of an agreement tion battalion from Guam. as a means to avoid a David L. Price, in a requirement to pay fair letter to the Marianas compensation for the five ·. Public Land Corp. acres on which to (MPLC), said "I am fearful construct a reserve facil­ that this may be the ity." beginning of a plan to grab Armitage said the :I additional properties at reserves needed the Tana­ /. Tanapag." pag land because it had • "What would prevent been asked by MPLC to \. the United States from vacate the former Coast .... using the five acres for Guard Loran Station in See page 3 ·.· Federal labor ·.. probers here? . 8 prisoners back in jail Eight inmates escaped ing over the south fence which is behind the jail. Esteves said they would Investigators from the from the Division of outside the jail's basket­ They called the police. not return to jail unless I United States Department Corrections on Valentine's ball court. During the same morn­ the inmates get better I of Labor were scheduled Day, one of them saying ing, Esteves called the treatment. "We want 'I Pedro Cabrera and to arrive Wednesday to they would not return Variety and informed this Keatley kicked out," he , I Herbert Camacho were look into local labor prac­ until they get better treat­ reporter about their said. ''We an FBI inves­ caught at about 6: 10 a.m. tices, particularly in the ment in the facility. escape. He said they tigation." yesterday and were placed garment industry. As of Wednesday, six escaped because they were Richard Keatley, in isolation, according to The investigation was were back in jail. They being mistreated at the formerly immigration an announcement from requested several months were: Alonzo Igisaiar, DOC. chief, was hired by the Public Safety Director ago by Senator Strum Ponciano Okaruru, Patrick Asked how they were department as a consultant Edward Manibusan. Thurmond. Dowai, Alexander Fergur­ mistreated, Esteves said he and was assigned to help in As of Wednesday after­ gur, Juan Cabrera and Lt. Frank Camacho, was not allowed to go to the corrections after the noon, however, the federal Francisco Esteves. police spokesman, said fire school that day. He said previous escape by investigators had not Officer Tyree Hall re­ division personnel saw the other inmates who were Camacho and Cabrera. shown up at the CNM I ported that the inmates inmates climbing the fence previously on work release Keatley has instituted Department of Commerce escaped at about 11 :35 and running south of the were also denied the changes in the division, and Labor. a.m. apparently by climb- fire division building, privilege. See page 7 ~ t':i;..'· ,· ,·;·,"":_r'~··-:·-· ----"'----~-"------'--------------------- Page 2 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS & VIEWS- February 20, 1987 February 20, 1987 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS & VIEWS - Page 3 -- --- _......... - -. --- ------------===____ ----============ ,.. __ ------­- ----- Fire a warning -------... --· -------------_______- -------- -----... -__- --- - ---------- --- ~ ._. ~ .. - By John DelRosario Jr. to NMI police? The Department of Public Satety seems to be clamor­ Police suspects that ing for air under a pile of puzzles it has seen thrown at its Lt. Frank Camacho, fire was deliberately set front door. First, the safe right across its front yard was police spokesman, said the Tuesday night to destroy stolen. Prisoners have exited the Susupe jail twice in less fire could be an arson the old police academy than a month. The old prison was charred by fire located case. building behind the central right at its back yard. Are these events however negative Nobody was hurt in the public safety station in trying to tell us something? I prefer to think otherwise. fire, which was put out by Susupe. An even more substantive problem in DPS today is the fire personnel from the low morale among police officers. In a nutshell, it seems Susupe and airport sta­ The fire was reported at that the management is sitting pretty on top of a poten­ tions about about 12:10 about 10:23 p.in. by Lt. tially explosive situation. And unless a cursory review is a.m. Wednesday. The Antonio Acosta. At about undertaken today, things do not look like they'll improve building, which was of 10:48 p.m., Officer an inch under the current set of circumstance. wood and tin, was aban­ Nicolas D. Leon Guerrero It is my understanding that the standard for police doned- when the Depart­ received a call from an officers has been upgraded. While this new policy may ment of Public , Safety unidentified person saying The old police academy building behind the central police station in Susupe still smokes in the morn­ look good in image building, Richard Keatley must moved the police academy ing after the fife. that "this is only a warn­ understand a fundamental point-to get to point B, you to another building at the ing. Somebody is going to must begin with point A. In other words, upgrading the Northern Marianas College hurt." standard requires a very important element for the local in As Terlaje. force-training. And unless this step is undertaken some­ Kagman eyed as site day soon, upgrading will only look good in paper or in the press only to find out in the bitter end that nothing • has worked to realistic by achieve elevating standards for Student commits police officers. of permanent prison A study prepared by the Criminal Justice Agency of suicide Feb.14 A permanent prison had been escape incidents converted into a jail. DPS indicates that too many consultants were once A student at Northern According to the police facility in Kagman is in the past years. Police. consultant retained to upgrade the police force here. It indicates too Marianas College commit­ report, the victim's knees being planned as part of Tenorio said the DOC Richard Keatley said that such innovative move, so it seems, simply failed ted suicide last Saturday, were bent and barely the government effort to compound must be earlier that the DOC because it has never been able to work with local police Valentine's Day, police touching the ground. prevent what Lt. Governor secured to discourage facility in Susupe was officers. It has simply ignored vital cultural consider­ said Wednesday. Camacho said the Pedro A. Tenorio called an prisoners from ·escaping. about 18-19 percent over­ ations which are an integral part in any job qr profession Lt. Frank Camacho, prosecutor had ruled the "annual escape party." He proposed the construc­ crowded. here. police spokesman, said death as a suicide. Asked In a press conference tion of a watch tower The government has It is also my understanding that the inmates' work the body of David D. how a person could hang Tuesday, Tenorio said it which will be manned also looked into the treat­ release program has been suspended because someone David, 28, was found at himself from a low tree, was easy for inmates to 24 hours a day. ment of prisoners. Teno­ amongst the group has been smuggling dope and liquor about 2:54 p.m. Saturday with the ground still with­ escape by climbing the He also said prisoners rio said "we are listening into the prison complex. Is it justice to penalize others . by Felix Sablan, an in reach,· Camacho said fence at the corrections might be required to wear and responding to for a violation to which DPS hasn't been able to pin employee of the Marianas some people could do facility in Susupe, like distinctive uniforms. problems." down? Why the institution of retribution when in fact Visitors Bureau. The body that. what eight prisoners did "That might discourage Asked whether some we have learned .that rehabilitation gives each criminal was hanging with a strip He recalled a similar last Saturday. them a bit," he said. inmates could be sent to an opportunity for personal reformation? This policy of shirt from a tree be­ incident several years ago "It doesn't take too As a long-term solu­ prison in the mainland, matter must be re-evaluated and a violation by one tween the airµort fence in which a person killed much to get away," he tion, he said a permanent Tenorio said it could be NEW KIND OF DEMONSTRATIONS ALLOWED IN CHINA culprit is not legitimate a reason to suspend a program and the road to Obyan himself by hanging in a said.