Slurrrr Me A River

Here's another one for the community about the recent IMC incident on its sudden closure. Reports said that its owner spoke on TV about the incident and made such comments that the Philippine Consulate Office found offensive and branded as a "slur." The TV interview caught the Consul General's ears when he made such comments.

Ok. Now our highly reliable sources from the Filipino community called the Saipan Middle Road Headquarters that they are planning for a massive boycott on all Indian owned establishments here in the CNMI. How true is this? Still a plan. No confirmation yet from the group.

SUSUPE, Saipan - Philippine Consul General to the CNMI Wilfredo DL. Maximo urged a businessman on Saipan to be more cautious in his remarks in the future, following what he describes as irresponsible and sweeping statement on the character of all Filipinos on the basis of one employee in recent media interviews.

Island Medical Center owner Tony Glad, during an interview aired on KSPN-2 on March 14, expressed suspicion that his former Filipino accounts manager’s sudden departure from Saipan may have something to do with the forced closure of his clinic.

The Philippine consul general, however, has taken issue with Glad’s statement which the diplomat says is disparaging to Filipino workers in the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

“I am writing to express concern over your remarks during an interview with KSPN on 14 March 2008, during which you were heard to say, in connection with the recent departure of the Filipino accountant of Island Medical Center, that 'It is typical of the Filipinos...when they have problems...they [dis]appear and leave for some reasons,'" Maximo said in his March 19 letter to Glad.

Copies of the letter were also given to the media.

On March 5, the CNMI Department of Public Health ordered Island Medical Center to shut down due to alleged noncompliance with rules and regulations.

The health agency cited Island Medical Center’s “unlawful pattern or practice by issuing health
certificates either without blood screening tests or on the basis of false, forged and/or altered lab test documentary results."

In interviews with the local media a few days after the forced closure, Glad expressed suspicion that his Filipino accounts manager, Romeo Dolot, may have something to do with the violations due to the employee's sudden departure from Saipan.

Dolot reportedly went back to the Philippines.

Maximo said Glad's remark was a slur on all Filipinos on the islands.

The Sweet Escape

Reading the news about the Island Medical Clinic and its plight made me realize I have several instances that I could share about an employee fleeing the "crime scene" in the CNMI. The certain employee Mr. Dolot immediately flew back to his home country, my guess would be the Philippines, just when the alleged scam was dug up by the Public Health. Its owner based on news said he was dubious when this employee bought a $15,000 car and wondered where he got the dough to purchase such expensive car for a non-resident worker.

This made me realize that I have known some non-resident workers that fled from the island for similar reasons. I know one employee of Century Hotel got away with alleged over $20,000 cash with him. The company didn't pursue but reported the case. I just found out another acquaintance that I used to bowl with also flew back home for the same reason. However, I heard he got more money from his company than the other.

Then I remember I was taking a friend to the airport and I saw someone I knew (close to a paper editor before) and she dashed from the cab with her backpack to the check in counter at the airport. I wondered why she was in a hurry. I wanted to say goodbye but a friend who was close to her said it was not a good idea. I didn't ask further why.

I found out that the woman left the island without consent from her employer. Again, why? I learned that the woman had to flee due to a case involving her colleague at work. I heard that her colleague stole covertly money from the company and she got afraid that she was going to be implicated with the case. Thus, she ran away.

Of course, the biggest case is the one that involved a MARPAC manager taking a huge sum of money.

What led them to such crime, obviously, financial difficulty. However, some just wanted to get a better car....