NEWS: Embattled cop leaves force before IA wraps up
By Troy Torres
(Tumon, Guam) Former senatorial candidate and long-time police officer Albert J. Balajadia retired from the Guam Police Department prior to the results of an internal affairs investigation involving allegations that he raped a little boy repeatedly years ago.
Police Chief Stephen Ignacio confirmed to Kandit News today in an interview at his office that "AJ Balajadia retired before the IA investigation ended."
In February of this year, a source of information called Kandit to report that when he was a young boy and Ms. Balajadia was a new cop within GPD, Mr. Balajadia was part of the boy's family and would come to the family's home to rape him.
The survivor told Kandit his heartwrenching story, which began with the rapes and ended with his decision to come forward to us and to pursue legal recourse after spending decades suffering through the mental and emotional trauma of the repeated rape. He was scared to tell anyone because of the shame he believed it would bring to him, and because of his belief that because Mr. Balajadia was a police officer, no one would believe the survivor and Mr. Balajadia would cover up the crimes and retaliate against the survivor and his family.
The survivor, who no longer lives on Guam, actually opened up to a select few people in 2016, while on vacation in Guam and when he discovered that Mr. Balajadia was a Republican senatorial candidate. "I knew I had to do something then, because I just couldn't believe this guy, this rapist, could actually become a senator," the survivor said.
The survivor reached out to a couple people who were connected to Mr. Balajadia and to the Guam Republican Party. He met with Mr. Balajadia, then with John Mafnas, who was representing the Republican Party of Guam. Mr. Mafnas told the survivor that efforts would be made to help rectify the situation.
Nothing was done; Mr. Balajadia continued his pursuit of a seat in the Guam Legislature, but came in dead last in the final tally.
Kandit reached out to Mr. Balajadia, but he hung up on us. Mr. Mafnas did not return any calls for comment about the Republican Party's knowledge of Mr. Balajadia's alleged crimes and misconduct.
Benny Pinaula, vice chairman of the Republican Party, said that the party was unaware of the allegations against Mr. Balajadia, nor was it aware of the communications between the survivor and Mr. Mafnas.
Now that Mr. Balajadia has retired, the IA investigation has ceased, according to Mr. Ignacio.
