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House special election after funeral, memorial
House Speaker Blas Jonathan T. Attao (R-Saipan) has formally and officially informed Gov. Ralph DLG Torres of the vacancy at the lower chamber brought by the death of Rep. Francisco S. Dela Cruz (R-Saipan). He sent the letter last Tuesday with Torres expected to declare a special election for the lone seat within 30 days.
Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Julita A. Villagomez and administrative officer Kayla S. Igitol visited the Governor’s Office yesterday morning, most probably to meet with Torres’ chief of staff Angel A. Demapan to discuss the issue on Attao’s letter and the special elections.
Article II, Section 9 of the CNMI Constitution states that a special election must be held to fill the vacancy in the Legislature if one half or more of the term remains. Special elections are subject to the call of the governor as stated in Title 1 of the CNMI Code, Division 6, Section 6502 (d) where an election must be held within 30 days of the date of vacancy.
The Governor’s Office is expected to declare the date of the special election after the funeral of Dela Cruz tomorrow and the memorial service by the Legislature on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The funeral mass will be held at the Mt. Carmel Cathedral at 11am followed by the burial at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery. The memorial will be at 10am at the House chamber on Capital Hill.
“Regretfully, I also have the sad duty as speaker, to officially advise you of the untimely death of the Hon. Rep. Francisco Santos Dela Cruz, who was a model statesman, staunch and articulate advocate, [and] a very well-respected colleague. Above all, Rep. Frank, as he was fondly known, was a true public servant and his presence in the House will be greatly missed,” said Attao in his letter to Torres.
“Accordingly, I am officially declaring on behalf of the 21st CNMI House of Representatives, that a vacant seat of the Hon. Rep. Francisco Santos Dela Cruz, who passed away after he was elected to represent Precinct 3, in the Third Senatorial District of Saipan, on Jan. 6, 2019, with more than one-half of his term of office remaining.”
Attao added that he is asking for Torres to call for the special election to fill Dela Cruz’s vacant seat in accordance with the CNMI law. “Based on the foregoing provisions of the CNMI law and more importantly, because I sincerely believe that Rep. Dela Cruz would want his constituents in Precinct 3 to be represented to the fullest degree.”
Dela Cruz, 56, was a former vice speaker in the 18th Legislature under the speakership of former representative Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero. He was first elected in the 15th Legislature and was reelected in the 16th and 17th, lost in his bid in the 19th, and returned in the 20th. He could have served his sixth term in the House.
