Senate confirms Salas as Commerce Secretary

With strong backing from individuals and administration lawmakers, former congressman Andrew S. Salas got a unanimous confirmation vote from the Senate yesterday as the new Commerce Secretary.

Likewise, Salas speaking under oath, told the Senate that he had never been convicted of a crime as earlier alleged, following the Senate’s revelation that it had sought the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s assistance to look into Salas’ background, including a possible criminal record in California where he had lived prior to moving back to Saipan about a decade ago.

Asked by Republican Sen. Thomas P. Villagomez whether he had been convicted of any crime in the CNMI and elsewhere, Salas said, “I had not been convicted of murder or anything.”

He said he has been waiting for the time to speak and clear the air about his background. Salas said that he has always been a law-abiding citizen and a hardworking person.

Coming to his defense during a public hearing yesterday morning at the Senate were Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Alex Sablan, Tinian resident Ray Sakisat, Customs director Jay Santos, and Republican congressmen Ray Tebuteb and Joseph Deleon Guerrero.

Also seen in the chamber were other members of the House of Representatives and several friends and relatives.

Sablan described Salas as an “aggressive and astute individual, pro-business, and [somebody] we’d like to use” to bring the CNMI economy up.

“We hope to meet with him frequently and productively. We’ve talked about several ideas. Mr. Salas wants to see fairness in the system,” said the chamber president.

Sakisat said he has known Salas since childhood and he could attest that “he’s never been a bad boy.”

“This is simple. Why make this very hard for this gentleman and intelligent person? He can do the job. He is able, he is ready, and he is not afraid to undertake [things],” Sakisat said.

Santos said he is a personal friend of Salas and he knows that the former congressman is a good person.

Tebuteb said he has admired Salas’ tenacity. Negative reports about Salas, he said, are purely “an opinion, an allegation.”

Rep. Deleon Guerrero said Salas was one of the “progressive” legislators during the 13th Legislature. He praised Salas for his “honesty, integrity, and courage.”

“His honesty can be brutal. He tells you up front. He is a person who follows his conviction. He speaks out based on what he believes in, not because it would make him popular,” he said.

Senate minority leader Pete P. Reyes commented, “It’s hard not to confirm you because you have a very strong backing.”

Reyes cited that Salas’ drug test result is negative and his resume was “very impressive.” Reyes also said that any background check on Salas should have been done when he was still a legislator.

Sen. Joseph Mendiola said he has been supportive of Salas’ confirmation from the beginning.

Sen. Luis Crisostimo, who raised a number of questions to get Salas’ opinion on issues, happily voted yes to the confirmation.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta appointed Salas in September to the post, which had been vacant since the transfer of then Commerce Secretary Fermin Atalig to the Department of Finance.