By Alesia Quinata
(Tumon, Guam) Many times in GovGuam, it's your connection to those in the know that get you hired or give you special treatment and protection. The old saying, "It's not what you know, it's who you know," may have applied to Andrew Castro, when he was hired by former seaport general manager Joanne Brown on October 16, 2017, less than two months after he was released from federal prison on drug charges.
Mr. Castro is the man seen in video surveillance attempting to break into his neighbor, Eugenio Estrellado's Mangilao home and attack him early Tuesday morning. Mr. Estrellado sought Kandit's exposure of the matter after the four police officers who responded to his call for help refused to take any evidence from the crime scene or to arrest Mr. Castro.
Mr. Castro lives with his father, retired police Captain Larry Castro. Capt. Castro also served as the chairman of the Police Commission.
The following morning, Wednesday, the Estrellado family found the backside of their home vandalized, with several aquariums destroyed.
Mr. Estrellado was able to identify the responding police officers as Tim Flores, a male by the last name Pocaigue, a male by the last name Mendiola, and an unknown female. Kandit sent the surveillance video and pictures of the officers and their squad cars to police spokesman Sgt. Paul Tapao Tuesday evening.
The Guam Police Department still has not responded to our inquiry on this matter.
Mr. Castro was hired by Ms. Brown at the seaport to work on its highly-secured docks as a casual stevedore. The seaport's docks are supposed to be a federally-secured area, with extraordinary measures taken to ensure the safety and security of passengers and cargo entering and exiting the United States through its borders. It is much like the airport's tarmac.
To work on the docks, seaport personnel must have a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card issued by the U.S. Transportation Security Agency (TSA). One of the disqualifying factors for issuance of this TWIC card is the release from prison for drug charges within five years of application.
Mr. Castro was released from prison two months prior to his hire by Ms. Brown to work on the docks.
Present seaport general manager Rory Respicio confirmed that Mr. Castro still is employed at the port. He is looking this matter and how Mr. Castro was allowed to work at the seaport and to be approved for a TWIC card now that he is aware of the circumstances of his hiring.
According to the seaport's staffing patterns, Mr. Castro was hired on October 16, 2017 as a casual stevedore with a starting base salary of $29,621.
Right before leaving office, Ms. Brown authorized Mr. Castro's promotion to Stevedore, with a 25 percent pay raise to $36,878.40. He is scheduled to receive an increment in four days, on January 14, 2020.
It’s only fair to add insults upon insults to the Chamorro character. That’s the unspoken trend of Guam politicos. Crime increases and legal punishment jams down to jello....wiggle wiggle wiggle
And what’s even worst is that retired big ex-GPD DADDY-o has to protect his misfit son, Andy Handy. And who else gets this kind of favoritism on a small Island? Yes, just putting the color perspective into the facts.
Boycott Marianas Variety.