‘Speakership still up for grabs’

The Republican Party has not given up hope that it could still claim the majority in the 15th House of Representatives.

GOP members are expected to nominate Rep. Arnold Palacios for the speakership when the 15th House convenes on Monday, Jan. 9, 2006.

This comes even as the Covenant Party and its allies have already announced that Floor Leader Oscar Babauta would be the next speaker and Democrat Rep. Justo Quitugua the vice speaker.

Palacios said in an interview yesterday that the Republican Party has formed its own lineup of officers. But he refused to name them.

“I am honored to have the confidence of my fellow members in the Republican Party. We already have the lineup. But whether we will end up as the majority or the minority is still fluid. Nothing is finalized yet. The speakership is still up in the air,” Palacios said.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta, a Republican, threw his support behind Palacios’ bid to be the next speaker.

“We will work up to the last minute to make sure he’s the speaker of the House,” the outgoing governor said.

However, Representative Babauta said he would prove today that the speakership is a done deal. The next floor leader and the other members of the majority will be revealed at an 11:30am meeting at Saipan World Resort Hotel today.

The Covenant Party is expected to have at least nine members and allies in the House, as opposed to the Republican’s eight.

Seven of the 18 representatives elected on Nov. 5, 2005 are Covenant Party members: Cinta Kaipat, Jesus Lizama, Francisco Dela Cruz, Absalon Waki Jr., Edwin Aldan, Crispin Ogo, and Babauta.

Independent Rep. Ray Yumul, a former Covenant Party, is likely to rejoin the group. As an active U.S. serviceman at the time of the election, Yumul was prohibited by the military from having any political affiliation when he ran for another term.

Quitugua, who has reportedly been voted by the group to be the next vice speaker, is expected to continue his alliance with the Covenant Party.

The Republican Party also has seven of its members elected as representatives. They are incumbents Martin Ada, Joseph Deleon Guerrero, Benjamin Seman, Ramon Tebuteb, and Palacios, as well as Manuel Tenorio and Candido Taman.

Rep.-elect Stanley Torres, who ran as an independent, is expected to align himself with the Republicans.

It is not known whether Democrat Rep.-elect Florencio Deleon Guerrero, will follow Quitugua’s lead.