AG: We are awaiting reports from DPS

Attorney General Edward Manibusan says that charges have yet to be filed against a man who burned the CNMI flag and posted it on social media as the OAG is still waiting for reports from the Department of Public Safety.

In an interview with Manibusan last week, he shared that he is awaiting reports from DPS before his office considers filing charges against Raymond Quitugua, the individual who posted a video on social media of him burning the CNMI flag last April 2.

“The Office of the Attorney General is currently not taking action while we are currently waiting for the reports on this from the Department of Public Safety,” he said.

Manibusan explained that charges are filed based on probable cause and legal statutes.

The CNMI Constitution, for example, considers the burning of the CNMI flag a crime punishable by a fine or even jail time. However, the first amendment to the U.S Constitution protects the right of an individual to burn flags as a form of protest.

“We file charges based on whether or not there’s probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed. We look at the stature, we look at the laws, and if we believe that there are defenses and we think that those defenses will prevail, we may consider filing any charges,” he said.

“I think the issue would be ‘if I have the First Amendment right to protest.’ You’ve seen news articles and you’ve seen press reports and people all over the world burning flags. So, was this a sign of protest? Is that something that we will consider in filing final charges? Yes, that’s one of the issues,” Manibusan added.

According to a previous article on Saipan Tribune, Quitugua said he believes the true CNMI flag was the initial design presented back in the 1970s that featured a latte stone with a star in the front of it on a field of blue.

He claims this flag accurately represents the indigenous people of the CNMI which he believes is the Chamorro community (not including the Carolinian community).

Quitugua added that he burned the flag as a form of protest, and he intends to take the issue to the Judiciary.

Many have raised concerns and have expressed their disagreement with Quitugua’s actions including Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lino Olopai (a renowned advocate for the indigenous traditions of the CNMI as well as one of the champions that fought for today’s CNMI flag design back in the 1970.)