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Losing candidates ordered to pay Rota officials over $17K
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Posted on Nov 23 2011
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Reporter
Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja has ordered the two losing candidates for the House of Representatives and mayoral races in the November 2009 election to pay a total of $17,116 in attorneys’ fees and costs to the prevailing parties in the poll challenge-Rota Mayor Melchor A. Mendiola and Rota Sen. Juan M. Ayuyu.
Naraja ordered former Rota representative Victor Hocog to pay Mayor Mendiola $10,046.25 and also directed Ross Hugh Songao Manglona to pay senator Ayuyu $7,069.75.
In an order issued Thursday, Naraja said he finds both Mendiola’s and Ayuyu’s calculation of attorney fees and costs reasonable.
On Aug. 29, 2011, Naraja found the election contest in favor of Mendiola and Ayuyu with respect to attorney fees. He ordered their lawyers to submit a bill of fees and costs to the court.
Attorney Robert T. Torres, counsel for Mendiola, told Saipan Tribune yesterday that the order awarding attorneys’ fees now directs their compensation and that they look forward to receiving the funds in defending the election.
“This election contest was costly for Mayor Mendiola and Senator Ayuyu to vindicate their seats to office by virtue of a proper election result despite a recount,” Torres said.
Ross Manglona and Hocog had sued for the recount, saying the Election Commission didn’t follow procedures when counting the Rota ballots.
Manglona sued his lone rival in the election, Teresita Apatang Santos, who was elected to a House seat. He also named defendants the two winners in the Senate seat for Rota: Jovita M. Taimanao and Juan Ayuyu.
In a separate lawsuit, Hocog, an independent candidate for mayor of Rota, sued the winning candidate, Melchor Mendiola. The two lawsuits were consolidated.
On Dec. 9, 2009, Naraja upheld the Nov. 7 election results for the House and mayoral races on Rota and dismissed the lawsuits.
Manglona and Hocog appealed to the CNMI Supreme Court.
The CNMI Supreme Court ordered the recount, citing the Election Commission’s violation of election law. The recount focused only on the votes for the Rota mayor, senator, and representatives.
On Jan. 8, 2010, the Election Commission completed its recount and reached the same original results: Mendiola and Ayuyu prevailed.
