Song Ja Cha enters not guilty plea

by Nick Delgado

Guam – Former Blue House lounge owner Song Ja Cha pleaded not guilty
to the charges she faces in a Superior Court superseding indictment
handed down against her, three GPD officers and a former lounge
employee. Cha has spent the last week trying to complete arraignment,
but it was delayed after numerous failed attempts to secure a Korean
interpreter as well as delays in getting her transported from the
federal lockup to local court. Cha has already been convicted in
federal court, but also faces local charges for bringing young girls
from Chuuk to her night club and forcing them to work as prostitutes.
Cha along with her former employee Freda Esuen and police officers
Mario Laxamana, Anthony Quenga and David Q. Manila all face a slew of
charges including kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct, aggravated
assault, criminal facilitation and attempt to compel prostitution. The
officers are accused of having sex with the girls as well as helping
Cha to conceal and commit the crimes. Judge Anita Sukola will hear the
defense motions to dismiss the case later this month, as the officers
attorneys continue to argue numerous violations of their clients'
constitutional rights. As we reported, another former lounge employee,
Saknin Weria intends to change her plea to guilty on Monday for the
charges she faces in the original indictment. Trial for the case is
still set for January 2, 2013.