t i-.·.r UNlVERS\T':' c:· ·-···· :>.. 1 House eyes_ override By~afaelH.Arroyo Vanety News Staff In case governor indeed vetoes H.B. 10-65 THE HOUSE of Representatives said he would like Legislature to ship feels very strongly about the the exemption for the Public is preparing to override the gov­ repeal the hiring restriction in­ bill and so an override is very School System to cover only the ernor should he choose to veto the stead of extending exemptions. possible," said House Speaker renewals of non-resident workers bill giving government agencies The governor could not be con­ Diego T. Benavente. that are already on board. four more years to hire non-resi­ tacted as of yesterday as he is "We will be ready to overturn Public Law 7-45 contains a dent workers. believed to be off-island on a trip his veto, if ever," he added. Sept. 30, 1995 deadline after House Bill 10-65, as amended to the mainland. The bill, which will extend the which agencies formerly ex­ by the Senate, was given final But should the veto and over­ sunset provision in Public Law 7- empted from the hiring restric­ approval by the House of Repre­ ride materialize, it would mark 45 to up to the year 2000, was tion could no longer obtain em­ sentatives during a session Fri­ the second time in Tenorio' s term amended by the Senate in a ses­ ployment documentation for their day. that his veto is challenged. sion Thursday. non-resident staff. The bill now goes to Gov. Just before the year 1996 started, In effect, the move takes away Although most House members Froilan C. Tenorio for action al­ the Legislature overrode the the Division of Environmental were not really in favor of re­ though the governor had earlier governor's veto of a bill delaying Quality from the list ofthose agen­ stricting DEQ and PSS hiring, said he would veto it. the scheduled wage increase. cies exempted from the general they deemed that acceptance of Diego T. Benavente Tenorio, even before House Bill "We are aware of the possibil­ alien hiring restriction. the Senate amendments was nec­ hinders professional staffing of I 0-65 was passed by either house, ity of a veto. The House leader- Also, the Senate version limits essary due to the urgency of Com­ the hospital. monwealth Health Center's need Since the September 1995 sun­ for more doctors. set provision expired, CHC has CHC doctors have lobbied both been having a hard time recruit­ houses of Legislature to act ing doctors. quickly on Public Law 7-45 as it c-o-n~ti-nu_e_d~o-n_p_a_g_e~a L&T hits·· Mit&hell for· 'abllsive' delay tactics · filed by L&1 and co-defen~ dalits Gov. Froilan Tenorio et al, Banes said the court ruled that Mitchell may have breached his fiduciary duty to his clients-the taxpayers-by conditioning the payment of his $2:2 'million legal fees. He said while Mitchell failed to engage in good faith settle­ ment negotiations, the court ruled that there may be an ap­ HEAVY FALL. Two police officers direct" traffic as a rocksaw fell into a ditch along As Terlaje Road near the pearance of impropriety be­ Northern Marianas College Friday night. The operator of the heavy equipment was unhurt. cause Rayphand is Mitchell's -Photo by Ferdie de le Torre employee. David G. Banes While the court denied the By Ferdie de la Torre . first motion, Banes said Supe­ Feds take 2 inmates into Variety News Staff rior Court Associate Judge L&T Group of Cos., Ltd. has Edward Manibusan did instruct accused lawyer Theodore R. Mitchell to engage in settle­ custody for 'ice peddling' Mitchell of being abusive and ment discussions or the defen­ obstructionist prolonging the dants may renew their niotion. TWO detained men were arrested sess an illegal drug and for pos­ saying he (Bartolome) had ice to litigation of the taxpayers' law­ The L&T counsel claimed last week after a grand jury in­ session of it with intent to distrib­ sell. suit filed by Rep. Stanley T. that the Article 12 lawyer has dicted them for conspiracy to pos- ute. They agreed to meet at the lower Torres and Jeanne H. failed completely to follow the Raul L. Albelda and Pacifico E. parkinglotoftheCommonwealth Rayphand. court's instruction. Bartolome, both 27 years old, on Health Center. In another motion to dis­ Banes said Mitchell did not Friday pleaded not guilty to the At 8 p.m. police detective Roque qualify Mitchell as counsel for respond to any settlement at­ Weather charges before the District Court. Camacho and the contact person torres and Rayphand, defen­ tempts and has three times in The court denied bail for the met with Bartolome at the meet­ dant L&T, through counsel writing stated that he will not two Filipinos, who were arrested ing place. David G. Banes, said discuss any settlement with Outlook Bartolome, however, told the while detained at the CNMI De­ Mitchell's abusive tactics defendants' attorneys. tention Facility. two buyers that the person who shows he is unfit to represent The lawyer said Mitchell is They had earlier been charged had the ice was to meet them in his clients-the CNMitaxpay­ not the plaintiff in this action before the Superior Court. the parking lot of a business es­ ers. and he has a professional obli­ According to the indictment, tablishment in Gualo Rai. Banes said Mitchell's con­ gation to try to settle this mat­ Albelda and Bartolome conspired Camacho and his companion duct during discovery "has ter in good faith. with each other to intentionally again met Bartolome in the sec­ shown that his abusive and ob­ Despite this unwillingness possess with intent to distribute ond meeting place at about 8:50 / structionist manner is prolong­ to negotiate settlement, Banes more than IO grams of crystal p.m. and a few minutes later ing the litigation driving up said L&T requested that methamphetamine, or "ice," on Albelda arrived. attorney fees." Mitchell "tender a col.Inter-of­ Partly cloudy skies Nov. 15 last year. Albelda allegedly gave more Citing the previous motion . fer" to them. with few showers. Bartolome, on that day, alleg­ than IO grams of ice to Bartolome to disqualify plaintiffs counsel Continued on page 8 edly contacted a certain person Continued on page 8 ... --~----l'y10NDAYJAN.U/,\R..Y,N,,1,996.,-.MARJANAS,VAR1ETYNEWS.AND,VIEW3,0 ~ '. 2-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-MONDAY-JANUARY 22, 1996 Rota lawmakers take drug test polls . ·--··- Arafat wins presidential --~-------- By Rafael H. Arroyo The measure unanimously passed crystal methamphetamine or "ice" in rally Saturday in Jerusalem. By SAID GHAZALI Although observers charged crowd at a packed polling station Variety News Staff the Senate on final reading during a the islands. ., I ,· RAMALLAH, WestBank (AP) Israeli police scared voters away in Gaza City. In Hebron, the only West Bank 1WO LAWMAKERS from Rota session la~t week and is headed to the "Simple lip service about drug - Yasser Arafat won solid en­ from east Jerusalem polls and "This is the first legislative elec­ city where Israeli troops remain, have submitted themselves to drug House for action. abuse is no longer enough to fight dorsement early Sunday for his there were some irregularities, the tion for Palestinians, and this is a a Jewish settler was stabbed. Is­ testing after one of them challenged According to Manglona, it is in­ this growing problem," said peacemaking with Israel in a his­ day passed without the feared vio­ foundation for a Palestinian state," rael responded by closing down Legislature to pass a bill that would cumbent for elected officials to take Manglona. toric election many Palestinians lent disruptions by Israeli extrem­ Arafat said as he voted at the central Hebron, forcing voters to require mandatory similar tests for all drug tests as a matter of promoting "Therefore, as elected officials, saw as a major step toward realiz­ ists and Islamic militants opposed Anas Ibn Malik high school. get escorts from among interna­ elected officials. public trust we must take the strongest effort ing their dream of statehood. to peace. Turnout was far lower in J erusa­ tional observers. Sen. Paul A. Manglona and Rep. He also said such a requirement is possible to stop drugs and get a With 60 percent of ballots The elections cemented the 65- lem, where Palestinian leaders and Despite the boycott by Hamas Vicente M. Atalig trooped to FHP's timely due to the worsening drug message to our people, especially counted, Arafat won 85 percent year-old Arafat's transformation international monitors com­ and other Palestinian opposition Chalan Laulau clinic Thursday after­ problem in the Commonwealth. our young," he said. groups, many of their followers of the vote for the presidency com­ from guerrilla chief to leader of a plained that voters were scared noon to have themselves tested for "It is in the best interest of the To prove his point, he hurled a off by 4,000 Israeli police called were seen lined up at polling sta­ pared to less than IO percent for state-in-the-making. I twas aimed· illegal drugs. people of the CNMI to know if challenge to all legislators to pass I ~ challenger Samiha Khalil, a 72- at creating a new cadre of elected out to enforce security. tions. The results are due in two weeks lheirelected officials are acting in the measure "for the sake of fu­ year-old social worker. About 5 Palestinian leaders with a stake in "I don't think there is any doubt At several polling places in time, Manglona said violation of the Commonwealth ture generations." Gaza, Hamas supporters handed percent of the votes cast Saturday peace.