GOP not endorsing Reyes’ candidacy

The Republican Party central committee have decided against endorsing the re-election bid of Sen. Pete P. Reyes because of the senator’s resolve not to support the party’s standard bearer, Gov. Juan N. Babauta and Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente, according to GOP executive director Felipe Atalig yesterday.

“The main reason is: The party won’t endorse any candidate who is not endorsing the party’s candidates. If you want to be endorsed by the party, you have to endorse its standard bearer, the governor and the lieutenant governor,” said Atalig.

Reyes was not available for comments yesterday.

In an earlier letter to GOP, Reyes said that he wants to get the party’s endorsement but he would only give his “full support and will campaign for the rest of the Republican candidates.”

As for Babauta and Benavente, he would be neither for nor against them.

“I have repeatedly mentioned that, if endorsed by the party, I will not campaign against the governor and the lieutenant governor. I have given my full support and will campaign for the rest of the Republican candidates,” the senator said in his April 29 letter to GOP chair John Reyes.

The senator’s decision came following a meeting with the central committee officials last month. The party also asked for Reyes to meet with Babauta and Benavente, which took place on April 11 in Garapan.

In his letter, the senator said that it is wrong for the committee to assume that he goes to the media “to report issues that may be not be favorable to the administration. “I will not shy away from expressing my views on issues I feel are of interests to the general public.”

“I am given the impression that if I behave, I may be endorsed. I think this is wrong. I believe it is also wrong, in our democratic system of government to be expected to compromise my principle and beliefs in order to seek endorsement from my party,” he said.

Atalig said that committee officials made the decision on Reyes’ status last Monday. The committee was composed of chairman Reyes, Benigno Sablan, Juan I. Tenorio, Mariano Taitano, and Maria Lourdes Ada.

He said committee member Sue Mafnas, a sister of former senator Juan P. Tenorio who is supporting the gubernatorial candidacy of Reps. Heinz Hofschneider and David Apatang, was not at the meeting.

Atalig said Mafnas remains a member but she has not been attending meetings lately. He said Mafnas has missed at least five committee meetings.

Sources said the committee took some time before making the decision public because they were hoping “to still keep Sen. Reyes” in the team.

“People don’t really want to let go of him. They want him in, but you know, he [senator] has decided and he is clear about it,” said a party member.