Rasa honored as he is laid to rest

Police officers escort the remains of former speaker Oscar C. Rasa to the cemetery in last Monday’s funeral rites at the Mt. Carmel Cathedral. (Jon Perez)

Senate President Arnold I. Palacios (R-Saipan) remembers former House speaker Oscar C. Rasa for championing people’s rights, even if not everyone agreed with him. Rasa, 71, died on Nov. 11.

Rasa was laid to rest last Monday at the Chalan Kanoa Cemetery after a Mass and public viewing in the nearby Mount Carmel Cathedral.

Palacios, who is the lieutenant governor-elect, said that people might have an ambivalent attitude toward Rasa but he is still a big loss to the CNMI. “We lost a very genuine individual, very intelligent person, and simple guy.”

“A lot of people might dislike or love him, but we must appreciate Mr. Rasa. He doesn’t hold back what he wants to say; he tells it as is. His passing is a big loss and, at the end of the day, the CNMI lost an individual that sacrificed a lot for the Commonwealth.”

He added that he’s known Rasa while he was growing up, the former speaker being one of the protégé’s of his father, the late Dr. Francisco T. Palacios. “My father was a politician and I’ve come to respect him since he was one of my father’s protégés.”

“He was very bright, thoughtful, and an intelligent individual. He was like that in his younger years and as a part of the Covenant negotiating team. Yes, he was young but he expressed a lot of his reservations on some of the provisions in the Covenant.”

Palacios said some of Rasa’s opinions became a reality. “To the large extent, a lot of those reservations came to reality. He was very passionate for advocating local rights, native rights. He was a champion and a genuine individual.”

“I had the opportunity, in my capacity as an elected official, to be able to spend quite a bit of time in the past few months with him. He’s given me a lot of insights, a lot of advice, counseling, and encouragement to do good for the people.”

House Speaker Rafael S. Demapan (R-Saipan) said that Rasa is a known constitutionalist who helped shape the CNMI. “It is a great loss to our Commonwealth. As we all know, he had served the CNMI for a long time. He was one of the people who helped the establishment of the Commonwealth. He [was] very knowledgeable on constitutional issues. Our deepest condolences to the family.”

Rep. Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero (R-Saipan), who is also a former speaker, said he learned a lot from the many conversations he had with Rasa. “I’m very saddened by the news. He was very knowledgeable and I learned so much from him.”

“He was very intelligent, not only about the CNMI’s political history but also the Constitution. I offer my condolences to the family and ask all of us to pay our respects.”

Rep. Ivan A. Blanco (R-Saipan) also offered his condolences to the Rasa family. “My deepest condolences to Auntie Pat and the family during this time of bereavement. They are in my thoughts and prayers.”

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres earlier directed all CNMI and U.S. flags be lowered to half-staff in honor of Rasa. The flags were raised to full staff a day after Rasa’s interment.