Fireman punished for wearing slippers in court

by Lannie Walker

Guam - A Guam firefighter finds himself in hot water after testifying in a high-profile assault case, which proved deadly. Although he witnessed the crime while he was off-duty - his casual attire in the courtroom has led to a formal personnel dispute.

The saying, "No good deed goes unpunished" might apply to this situation, as firefighter John Anthony Muna has found himself in hot water after he testified as a witness in the case of Isaac Kaipat, who was charged with assaulting a man who eventually died from the injuries he sustained.  Muna says he came under fire by Guam Fire Department Fire Chief Dave Peredo not for testifying, but for what he wore went he showed up to court. "I was called a little after 12 to be in court by 1pm," he recalled. "I don't believe I was wrong in anyway; I felt I actually did something right."

With no time to go home and change, Muna says he went straight to the courthouse. "I got no choice but to come. I went as I was dressed, I was on the golf course when I was called - I was off-duty - I was wearing shorts and slippers and a collared shirt," he explained.

Wearing the same shirt as he has on in this interview, Muna says he testified to what he witness on that fatal night and then was excused and even thanked by the court. But the following Monday morning Muna was called into Chief Peredo's office and was told the Attorney General's Office and the presiding judge, Elizabeth Barrett Anderson, had complained to Peredo about Muna's appearance in court that day.

"The fire chief expressed to me he felt it was unbecoming of me as a firefighter and I that I brought discredit to the fire department," Muna stated, adding, he was ordered by Peredo to meet with judge and give a formal apology. Muna insisting his innocence says he was then instructed to write a letter of apology to the judge. He says he wrote a letter to the judge saying he was unable to apologize, which he says was intercepted and never received by Judge Barrett Anderson.

"If I'd been given a decent amount of time to get home and change into something a little more decent, but I meant no disrespect to her courtroom," he said.

What came next, on December 27, was a letter of reprimand - a document that would now go on file in Muna's personnel jacket. "So if there is any type of promotions or favorable opportunities for personnel, it just might affect his ability to compete," noted Joey San Nicolas, spokesperson for GFD.

Asked if the chief understands that Muna says that if had time he would have gone home and changed into more proper attire," San Nicolas said, "Again, I'm not privy to that information, but I'm sure that fact was considered and the decision was still made."

Muna has now filed two grievances against Peredo - one for verbal insult and a second for the letter of reprimand. "Firefigher Muna is well within his rights to file a grievance and if he feels he has been wrong, I fully encourage him to and support him in trying to rectify the matter so that a case like this does not happen again," San Nicolas said.

Meanwhile, Peredo is likely serving his last day of chief of the fire department today having submitted his letter of resignation, as did all department heads, before the change of administration next Monday.