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Six in counterfeit case appear for arraignment
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Posted on Mar 09 2001
Six Filipinos indicted for smuggling into the CNMI $5,000 worth of fake dollars will remain under the temporary custody of the Philippine Consulate General and two Church leaders.
District Judge Alex R. Munson yesterday allowed Rolando Hilango Lambio, Nelia Baradi Florendo, Archie Barnatcha Macapagal, Ronalia De Guzman Navarro, Romeo Gumin Montoya and Thelma Loqueno Tejano to remain under their third party custodians.
The six are all facing charges of counterfeiting US dollars before the federal and local courts,
Mr. Munson also ordered the six defendants to appear for an arraignment hearing today. Government prosecutor John J. Rice has recommended a $10,000 unsecured bond for each of them.
The six stand trial on allegations of counterfeiting US currency before the Superior Court and were indicted Wednesday by the federal grand jury with one count of uttering counterfeit obligations and securities before the US District Court.
If found guilty, all six Filipinos each face a maximum penalty of 15-years in jail plus a $250,000 fine.
The Filipinos were arrested at the Saipan International Airport last Jan. 24 after immigration officials found counterfeit dollars on their possession. CNMI immigration discovered that the money the six Filipinos carried had the same serial numbers.
All avowed their innocence and claimed they got the money from the person who promised them jobs in the CNMI. They also revealed that each of them forked between $1,000 to $1,500 for the opportunity to work in the CNMI.
All six also attested that they had to sell most of their possessions and loaned from relatives and friends to come up with the money the recruiter was asking.
