‘Where are the other candidates?’

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s senatorial candidate forum on Wednesday night diverted the attention of the audience into asking the question: “Where are the other candidates?”

Only four of the 10 candidates running for Saipan senator showed up, prompting many in the audience to say it would have been better if all candidates showed up to talk about what they would do for the Commonwealth.

The candidates that did show up were NMI Republican Party bets Oscar Babauta, Arnold Palacios, and Sixto Igisomar, and independent candidate Steve Woodruff.

One community member, Pedro Guerrero, said all four candidates did their best and that there were no problems with what they presented.

Guerrero said the others who did not show up may have good reasons why they couldn’t attend.

Sen. Pete Reyes (Ind-Saipan) said all four candidates did a good job of presenting their reasons for running but, in his opinion, Palacios stood out.

“Arnold did an extremely good job and responded well to specific matters,” Reyes said.

He also said it was a shame that the others did not come.

“I feel it would have been better if they showed up. All the questions were straightforward and problems were raised. Babauta did a good job, Igisomar has never been a member of the Legislature but he has a firm and tremendous grasp of the issues raised and once he gets in he will know what to do and he needs to accept that responsibility,” he said.

Chamber member Ron Smith echoed Reyes and Guerrero’s words that all candidates did very well.

“I feel that, with the other candidates that weren’t here to provide and express their views, we don’t know what they are going to do and it is really unfortunate because we would have loved to hear it,” Smith said.

In his final speech, Woodruff also expressed disappointment with the candidates who did not show up.

“It is really unfortunate that I am the only independent here and all of the [other candidates present] are Republicans, but I would have loved to hear what my other colleagues would have to say but everyone here did a good job,” Woodruff said.

Woodruff, Palacios, and Babauta are running for regular Senate seats; Igisomar is running in the special election to fill the vacancy created by Ray Yumul, who resigned to run as lieutenant governor.

The senatorial bets that did not show up were Justo Quitugua (Independent); Janet Maratita (Independent); Jesus Taisague (Democrat); Illuminanda Bermudes (Independent); Roy Rios (Independent); and Jesus M. Castro (Independent).