By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, May 1) – Four men were arrested and brought to the U.S. District Court for taking an endangered species.
Arrested were Ignacio "Ike" DLG. Demapan, 54, Leon H. Lizama, 50, Jesus H. Lizama, 44, and George Teregeyo, 58.
The defendants were all charged with one count of taking an endangered species — a nightingale reed warbler.
Judge David Wiseman imposed a bond of US$10,000 for each defendant during a bail hearing on Thursday.
The four were released from the custody of the U.S. Marshall Service after they posted the unsecured bond of US$10,000.
Demapan, a former Indigenous Affairs Office resident executive, was charged for taking an endangered species, one or more nightingale reed warblers in February and March 2004. Demapan pleaded not guilty to the charge and Wiseman set a jury trial for June 19, at 9 a.m.
The indictment stated that Jesus and Leon Lizama in July and...