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CEC says Atalig still a candidate
Rota Mayor Efraim M. Atalig is charged with two criminal cases, each in federal court and local court, but he is still a candidate for this Nov. 6 general election, according to the Commonwealth Election Commission.
Asked yesterday about the candidacy of Atalig following the filing of charges against him, CEC administrative officer Kayla Igitol said the mayor is still a candidate because they have not received any notification from him that he is withdrawing his candidacy.
“We have not heard from his end,” Igitol said.
She pointed out that, since Atalig is only charged and not yet convicted, he is still a candidate.
Igitol said CEC has no action until Atalig’s cases are done or end up with a conviction before the election.
Saipan Tribune asked the 57-year-old Atalig last Wednesday if he is withdrawing his candidacy because of his cases, but the mayor refused to comment.
An indictment filed in the District Court charged Atalig with one count of wire fraud. At the arraignment last Wednesday, he pleaded not guilty. The jury trial will be on Oct. 16, 2018.
In the Superior Court case, the Office of the Attorney General charged Atalig and seven other Rota municipal officials each with one count of theft and one count of misconduct in public office. The arraignment will be on Sept. 28, 2018.
The allegation is that Atalig arranged a government-funded trip from Rota to Guam for himself and 12 others on a false claim that he was going to check for surplus equipment at the Naval Base in Guam.
The indictment alleged that Atalig actually went to Guam to participate in a political rally of the GOP last June 23 in Mangilao. The mayor is a Republican.
The two cases stemmed from the same political rally.
