Only one bet shows up at delegate forum

Three of the four invited candidates for congressional delegate on Sunday snubbed a forum sponsored by an organization made up of mostly Filipino-Americans in the Commonwealth.

The Coalition for Recognition, Equality and Advancement of American Ethnic Minorities, or CREAM, invited John Oliver Gonzales, Gregorio Kilili Sablan, Pete A. Tenorio, and Juan T. Lizama—the four top vote getters in a mock election the group conducted last month.

However, only Sablan showed up. Gonzales and Tenorio sent word to the group that they could not make it because of prior engagements. For his part, Lizama yesterday told the Saipan Tribune he did not attend because of a previous appointment, and also because he disapproved of CREAM’s decision to invite only four of the candidates, and not all of them.

CREAM chairman Gus Loste said his organization is grateful to Sablan for taking time to meet its members. “His attendance showed he recognizes the needs of our group and that he is running not just to represent certain segments of the community, but the Commonwealth as a whole,” he said.

CREAM initiated the forum in a bid to interact with the candidates and make an endorsement based on their responses. Even with only one participant, CREAM proceeded with the event, quizzing Sablan on issues including immigration, land ownership, education, and utility service.

Loste said the group was satisfied with Sablan’s answers, particularly to the organization’s call for inclusion in the policy-making process. Yet, the group is still talking about whom to endorse; it expects to announce its choice next week.

Most of the members of the coalition are Filipino-Americans and registered voters in the Northern Marianas. The group also includes people of other nationalities who have U.S. citizen children that are registered voters in the Commonwealth.

Over 350 members participated in the group’s mock election. Results show that Gonzales received 53 percent of the votes, Sablan 20 percent, Tenorio 8 percent, and Lizama 7 percent. The remainder was divided among the five other candidates: Sen. Luis Crisostimo, former senator David Cing, businessman Chong Won, Saipan municipal council Felipe Atalig, and high school teacher John Davis.