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Senate panel in Roa holds public hearing on nomination of Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja to CNMI Supreme Court
Summary
The Senate Standing Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigation held a March 19 hearing in Roa on Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja’s nomination to the Commonwealth Supreme Court, heard public and municipal endorsements, and questioned the nominee on recusal rules, appellate delays and access to justice; further hearings are scheduled on Tinian and Saipan.
The Senate Standing Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigation convened a public hearing on March 19 in Roa to consider Governor David M. Apatang’s nomination of Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja to serve as an associate justice of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court.
Jean Paulo B. Raises, special assistant to the governor, introduced the nominee and summarized Naraja’s legal background, including his Gonzaga University law degree and more than two decades presiding over criminal, juvenile and other dockets. “On behalf of the governor and lieutenant governor, we respectfully seek the committee’s favorable consideration,” Raises said.
Presiding Judge Naraja took the oath and told the committee he was “deeply honored to appear before this committee” and described a judicial career focused on fairness, court administration and mentoring young lawyers. He told senators he had worked with multiple chief justices to centralize and modernize court administration and credited technology—“e‑court” initiatives—with improving access between islands.
The public comment portion drew endorsements from Roa’s mayor and municipal council. Mayor Aubrey Hookup urged “swift confirmation,” citing Naraja’s two decades of service and efforts to modernize court operations. Jonovan H. Lisama, chairman of the Roa Municipal Council, and several residents including Ivan Terab Jr. and Dean Reo A. Mangalonia submitted oral statements supporting the nomination and highlighted the nominee’s community work and mentorship in mock‑trial and pre‑law programs.
At the hearing, Senators pressed Naraja on practical concerns raised by commenters. Senator Donald M. Mangalonia asked about the recusal process after members of the public described costs and delays when visiting judges are needed. Naraja said judicial cannons require a careful, case‑by‑case analysis and explained that recusal motions are often brought by parties; when local judges are conflicted the court sometimes requests visiting judges, which can raise travel and lodging costs and delay proceedings.
On appellate practice, Naraja acknowledged instances in which his trial‑court rulings were later reversed or remanded by the Supreme Court (citing examples involving sentencing and damage calculations) and said he uses such outcomes to refine evidentiary records and trial practice. Responding to Senator Manny Castro, Naraja identified transcription backlogs, interpreter needs and the completeness of trial records as frequent contributors to appellate delay and said closer case screening and streamlined record handling could help speed decisions.
Senators also discussed access to legal services and probate delays affecting indigent residents. Naraja recommended examining funding and organizational options—such as expanded Micronesian Legal Services support, a civil division in a public‑defender office or expanded pro bono programs—to reduce the cost burden on families and shorten probate timelines.
No confirmation vote occurred during the Roa session. Chair announced two additional hearings to gather further testimony: Tinian on March 25 and Saipan tentatively on April 1. The committee will include the oral and written record in its report and forward a recommendation to the full Senate.
Procedural notes: the committee recorded a quorum with four members present and two absent, adopted the meeting agenda by voice vote, and adjourned after concluding testimony. The committee read Article IV, Section 5 of the Commonwealth constitution and cited the Senate’s advice‑and‑consent role in judicial appointments.
The hearing record includes oral endorsements from municipal leaders, multiple written testimonies (including one from Representative Julie Marie Aogo), and several public commenters who urged confirmation while also flagging concerns about recusal procedures and access to legal services. Additional hearings on Tinian and Saipan will allow the committee to hear further views before it reports to the full Senate.
