Ed Manibusan
Attorney General of the Northern Mariana Islands
Incumbent
Assumed office January 12, 2015
Governor	Eloy Inos Ralph Torres Arnold Palacios Dave Apatang
Preceded by	Gilbert Birnbrich
In office July 1, 1989 – January 8, 1990 Acting
Governor	Pedro Tenorio
Preceded by	Alexandro Castro
Succeeded by	Robert Naraja
Chair of theNorthern Mariana Islands Democratic Party
In office April 6, 2012 – January 1, 2014
Preceded by	Jesus Borja (acting)
Succeeded by	Jesus Borja (acting)
Personal details
Born	Edward Eladio Manibusan 1952 or 1953 (age 71–72)
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Delfina[1]
Children	3
Education	University of Guam California State University, Fullerton (BA) Gonzaga University (JD)

Edward Eladio Manibusan (born 1952/1953)^[2] is a Northern Marianan attorney and politician serving as the first electedAttorney General of the Northern Mariana Islands. He took office on January 12, 2015. He previously served in the position from July 1, 1989 to January 8, 1990 when it was a gubernatorial appointment.

He graduated fromMarianas High School in 1972.^[3] He attended theUniversity of Guam from 1972 to 1975 where he earned an associate's degree in political science.^[4] Manibusan graduated fromCalifornia State University at Fullerton with aBachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Law in 1977. He then attendedGonzaga University School of Law and graduated in 1982.^[2]

After graduating law school, Manibusan became a public defender. One year later, he was made an assistant attorney general assigned to the criminal division.^[2] In 1986, GovernorPedro Pangelinan Tenorio appointed Manibusan, the Director of theDepartment of Public Safety. Manibusan was sworn in as DPS director on November 14, 1986.^[5]

He was the appointed Attorney General from 1989 to 1990. He was an Associate Judge of theSuperior Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands from February 1993 to July 1998,^[6] the Presiding Judge of the NMI Superior Court from July 1998 to March 2003,^[6] and an attorney in solo private practice. Prior to the election he also held an honorary appointment as the Civilian Aide to theUnited States Secretary of the Army for the CNMI.^[7]

In 1998, JudgeProcter Ralph Hug Jr. of theU.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit appointed Manibusan as a special judge at theDistrict Court for the Northern Mariana Islands from January 26, 1998 to December 31, 1998.^[8]

Manibusan retired from active government service on March 14, 2003.^[1] On April 6, 2012, he became the chairman of the reorganizedDemocratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands, succeeding acting chairJesus Borja.^[9][10][11] In that capacity he worked to rebuild ties with theDemocratic National Committee, achieving such recognition at the2012 Democratic National Convention.^[12] He also sought to ensure the party ran a gubernatorial candidate in the2014 election, after it failed to do so in 2009.^[13] He resigned on January 1, 2014, and was succeeded in the interim byJesus Borja (who had been acting chair before Manibusan's election) and permanently by Benjamin M. Cepeda in February 2014.^[14][15][16] Cepeda then resigned on May 19, 2014 to joinJuan Babauta's2014 election independent campaign slate, with Rosiky Camacho initially becoming acting chair until he permanently held the post.^[17][18][19]

The Attorney General, previously an appointed position, became an elected position effective for the2014 general election.^[20] Manibusan was elected in 2014, defeating attorney Michael Evangelista by about a two to one margin.^[21] Manibusan succeededGilbert Birnbrich, who was appointed by GovernorEloy Inos five months before the election.^[20] He was reelected in 2018, without opposition.^[22] In 2022, Manibusan defeated former judge Juan Tudela Lizama by approximately ten points to be reelected Attorney General.^[23]

• Official Biography at theNational Association of Attorneys General

• 1950s births
• 21st-century Northern Mariana Islands politicians
• Attorneys general of the Northern Mariana Islands
• Chamorro people
• Democratic Party (Northern Mariana Islands) politicians
• Gonzaga University School of Law alumni
• Living people
• Northern Mariana Islands judges
• Northern Mariana Islands lawyers
• People from Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

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