Parties claim lead in the run up to Nov. 5

COVENANT: WE’RE GAINING STRENGTH

With less than a month before the November elections, Covenant Party’s gubernatorial tandem, House Speaker Benigno Fitial and Vice Speaker Timothy Villagomez, expressed confidence that the party has become stronger amid defections by supporters from other camps, including the ruling Republican Party.

At the same time, the Covenant Party’s candidates on Rota dared their counterparts from other camps to submit themselves to drug tests amid allegations that there are some candidates who are using illegal drugs. Herman Apatang, the Covenant’s chair for Rota, said the party’s candidates volunteered for drug tests yesterday and have been declared drug-free.

The defectors to the Covenant camp include Gov. Juan N. Babauta’s uncle, Joaquin Crisostimo Babauta, who was formerly supporting his nephew’s political party. The elder Babauta has been openly campaigning for the candidacy of Fitial and Villagomez, as well as the rest of the Covenant Party candidates.

Rota Mayor Benjamin Manglona, a former Republican, has also expressed his support for Fitial and Villagomez.

“There are supporters that I see now that I didn’t see in 2001 or 2003,” said Charles Reyes Jr., Covenant’s advertising committee chair. “We have a fair share of people coming in to us. We continue to gain strength.”

He said the defections indicate “the great dissatisfaction with Republican administration.”

Reyes noted that even Covenant’s Precinct I candidate for congressman, Jesus Muna, was a former GOP member. Independent mayoralty candidate for Saipan Frank Cepeda ran under the GOP banner in 2001.

Babauta’s campaign manager in the 2001 elections, Tom Pangelinan, has defected to the camp of the independent gubernatorial tandem of Reps. Heinz Hofschneider and David Apatang, Reyes said.

But he said an uncle of Apatang has joined the Covenant bandwagon and would come out openly soon. Businesswoman Escolastica Tudela Cabrera, a former Democrat supporter, has shifted her support for the Covenant Party, he added.

Meanwhile, Covenant’s candidates for Rota went through drug tests yesterday amid allegations that there are other candidates who are allegedly hooked on illegal drugs.

“We challenge all the other candidates to come out in public and submit to drug testing,” said the party’s Rota chair, Apatang.

The candidates include reelectionist Rep. Crispin Ogo, senatorial candidates Jovita M. Taimanao and Felix T. Mendiola, and mayoralty bet Joseph Songao Inos. A representative from the Guam-based Pacific Human Resource Services Inc. conduct the drug tests for the candidates.

Apatang said all of Covenant’s candidates tested negative for illegal drug use. The tests were designed to detect the presence of cocaine, marijuana and other illegal substance in the urine.

Apatang said the party’s candidates volunteered for drug testing “as a result of the ever increasing public demand” for the tests. (John Ravelo)

GOP: WE’RE JUST WAITING FOR ELECTION DAY

By Liberty Dones
Reporter

Republican Party chair John S. Reyes has expressed confidence in the party’s electoral victory in next months’ general elections, citing that “several” supporters of opposition parties have now defected to GOP.

“Right now, we’re very much ahead. A lot of Covenant Party people, staunch supporters, are with us now,” said Reyes in an interview yesterday noon.

He cited that former senator Herman Guerrero, the official Washington Representative candidate in 2001 under Covenant Party, has joined the Republican Party.

Likewise, the 2001 Covenant Party’s campaign manager Ignacio Demapan is now the Republican Party’s campaign manager.

Reyes also said that Sen. Luis P. Crisostimo, who earlier wanted to run for governor under his newly formed national Democratic Party, is now supporting the GOP.

Crisostimo attended GOP Gov. Juan N. Babauta’s birthday party and fundraising event last month.

On Rota, Reyes said that Covenant Party chair Vincent Calvo has expressed his support to the re-election bid of Gov. Juan N. Babauta and Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente. Covenant Party Rota vice chair Ramon Sablan has, likewise, supported the GOP.

Both Calvo and Sablan and other members reportedly showed their public support to the ruling party by joining the GOP’s motorcade on Rota recently.

“And don’t forget the two senators,” said Reyes, referring to Rota senators Diego M. Songao and Paterno Hocog, who defected to the Republican Party early this year.

On Tinian, former Democratic Party stalwart Herman Manglona is now the Republican Party chair.

Reyes also noted that another Democrat stalwart, former senator David Cing, attended the latest GOP rally on Tinian.

In an interview in summer this year, Cing said that he would support the independent gubernatorial candidacy of Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider.

“The last time I know, he [Cing] is with us,” said Reyes.

“So with all these supporters behind, all we need is wait for the election day,” added Reyes.

This year’s general elections will be held on Nov. 5.