Dynasty named defendant in $2.5M damage suit

Former House speaker Pedro R. D.L. Guerrero has filed a $2.5 million damage suit against Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino and 10 of its employees for allegedly assaulting and falsely accusing him of creating public scandal at the establishment.

Guerrero filed the suit Friday at the Superior Court through counsel Douglas F. Cushnie.

Court documents showed the incident occurred on July 28, 1998 when Guerrero and friends Candido Castro and Placido Tagabuel went to Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino to play poker.

At about 4:30 p.m. of the same day, the three have decided to leave the casino to catch a plane back to Saipan. But just before they could have left, Guerrero stopped to play at the high and low table.

Moments later, Guerrero said he heard Castro shouting, “show me your rules.” Guerrero then decided to check what happened to Castro.

When quizzed, Castro, said, “they are cheaters,” pointing to a female casino employee.

Guerrero said he was about to place a bet, when a John Doe employed by Tinian Dynasty approached him and told him that shouting and cursing are not allowed in the establishment.

Castro then quickly told the man that “you are addressing the wrong person. He is not the one shouting. I was the one shouting.”

But John Doe 1 insisted it was Guerrero and narrated a previous week incident wherein he accused him of the same offense.

Guerrero said he asked why he was being harassed and falsely accused of something he did not do. The man then asked him if they could talk. Guerrero agreed, provided they talk in public so that casino patrons can hear them.

However, the confrontation suddenly turned sour when some men in suits and uniforms allegedly violently grabbed, dragged, then throw Guerrero onto the floor of the casino, court documents said.

The men allegedly took turns in twisting Guerrero’s arms and body while smashing his face to the floor.

Guerrero said John Doe 1 asked him again if they could talk. When he said yes, he was raised from the floor and was dragged through the main lobby which was then filled with various onlookers, patrons and bystanders. After which, he was allegedly thrown out of the hotel.

Guerrero said he tried to reenter the hotel to catch some cool air as it was humid outside. But the same uniformed men threw him out of the hotel for the second time.

“As a direct and proximate result of the said attack, plaintiff suffered bruises and strains on and about his body and physical pain as a result thereof. That plaintiff suffered severe humiliation and embarrassment by being beaten and dragged through the casino and lobby by said John Does,” Cushnie said.

“The conduct of the Tinian Dynasty and said John Does was deliberate, willful, malicious, thereby entitling plaintiff to punitive damages in the amounts to be proved at trial. He has suffered injury to his political and business reputation,” he added.