Speaker wants Judiciary oversight hearing after corruption allegations resurface

Speaker Therese Terlaje is setting an oversight hearing with the Judiciary of Guam regarding the major allegations made of public corruption within law enforcement agencies to include the Superior Court of Guam marshals.

The allegations stem from federal court cases, the first involving former Yona mayor Jesse Blas' 2019 extortion case and recently convicted federal drug offender Mark Mayo's trial.

In both cases, the FBI case agent's testimony revealed that warrants were allegedly vacated by Guam marshals in exchange for bribes. In addition, accusations were made of the Guam Police Department and custom officers' involvement in the island's drug trade.

Legislative Committee Chair on Public Safety Senator Pedo Terlaje is in support of the oversight hearing, and he has sent a letter to GPD Police Chief Stephen Ignacio asking him to conduct a multi-agency internal investigation on public corruption.

As stated in the letter, the senator is specifically asking GPD to investigate 1. The tampering of warrants in the court system, 2. Alleged physical abuse by public safety officer mentioned in federal court, 3. The alleged involvement of public safety officers in the drug trade.

Further in the letter he says, “ I realize that several of these allegation would involve investigation a member of my immediate family. This must not prevent you from conducting the investigation. These charges should be fully investigated and fully vetted by an official investigation and for the truth to come out.”
The immediate family member named to have an alleged role in the corruption is Senator Pedo Terlaje’s son, Joey Terlaje the former deputy director of the department of corrections. He resigned from the position a day after Blas’ arraignment.

Sen. Terlaje says to prevent the taint of conflict of interest in this investigation, all oversight duties will be empowered to Vice Chair of the Public Safety committee Sen. Frank Blas Jr.

Sen. Terlaje states, “I worked with Sen. Blas in the narcotics division of GPD and I know he shares my commitment to fighting the drug epidemic on Guam. When we were both at GPD we were able to mostly eradicate the scourge of heroin on Guam in the 70s and 80s, when it too was an epidemic on Guam. We are graduates of the DEA Drug Enforcement Academy and take the interdiction of drugs seriously.”

Additionally, Sen.Terlaje says the fact that within the last 5 years the port has not intercepted any drugs is “unacceptable”. He said, “I introduced Bill 272-35 in the last legislature for the creation of a cargo inspection facility at the Port Authority of Guam which would screen all port cargo for drugs. Senator Moylan has picked up a similar bill this term and while I am still looking into the details of his bill, I support the intent of 100% drug screening of all cargo at the Port of Guam.

 

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