by Nick Delgado

Guam - Police officers Anthony Quenga, Mario Laxamana and David Manila along with former Blue House Lounge owner Song Ja Cha and her employee Freda Esuen face additional charges that were contained in a second superceding indictment issued Friday.

Cha was convicted in federal court for luring young girls from Chuuk and forcing them to work as prostitutes at the now closed down Blue House Lounge in upper Tumon. Cha along with Esuen, who helped the U.S. Attorney's office, now face local charges in the Superior Court of Guam along with the three police officers.

According to the second superceding indictment all five face additional charges including:

· 9 counts of kidnapping as a 2nd degree felony

· 9 counts of felonious restraint as a 3rd degree felony

· Attempt to compel prostitution as a 3rd degree felony

· 1st degree criminal sexual conduct

· 2 counts of criminal sexual conduct

· Aggravated assault

· Criminal facilitation

The additional charges were read during a motions hearing for the defendants before Superior Court Judge Anita Sukola this morning. The prosecution declined however to discuss the additional charges during today's hearing and instead an arraignment for the additional charges was scheduled for this Wednesday at nine o'clock in the morning. Meanwhile discussion today did focus on the motions of the three officers who are seeking to have their cases dismissed with prejudice. Their defense attorneys' argue there rights were violated when their clients were not brought before a judge within 48 hours after being arrested.. The prosecution claims an exception should be given in this case and filed a document transcription of the Magistrate Judge stating unavailability to hear the matter. The defense countered there was no emergency in delaying a hearing and to cure the issue the defendants should be released and the indictment should be dismissed with prejudice. The judge took the motion under advisement. Also discussed was a motion to dismiss the case for officers Mario Laxamana and Anthony Quenga as the defense argues the court has no jurisdiction to hear a case that exceeded its statute of limitations. However Assistant Attorney General Nelson Werner argued that prosecution may be pursued against any public employee at anytime as long as they are still employed with the government. The Defense countered that the specific argument was not stated in the indictment, but Werner says it doesn't have to be and he will bring the issue up again during further hearings. Attorney William Pole who represents Officer David Manila filed a similar motion to dismiss based off the statute of limitations argument just this morning. Judge Sukola set jury trial for January 2nd at 1 o'clock in the afternoon.