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House speakership is still up in the air
With three contenders vying for the position of speaker, the process of selecting the next leader of the House of Representatives of the 19th Legislature may drag on well after Christmas or even after the New Year; with some even speculating that the decision may linger up to a day or two before inauguration day.
Incumbent House Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan), House minority leader Rep. Ramon Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan), and floor leader Rep. Ralph Demapan (R-Saipan) all acknowledge that the House speakership is still up in the air.
To win the speakership, Deleon Guerrero, Tebuteb, or Demapan must muster at least 11 votes.
So far, all three and their respective supporters have been busy courting incoming House members as well as those who were re-elected to their sides.
While Demapan can count on the seven NMI Republican Party lawmakers elected to the 19th Congress for their votes, how the independents will be dividing their votes between Deleon Guerrero and Benavente is still not set in stone.
Sources, however, say that Tebuteb has the support of nine independents, among them Reps. Edmund Villagomez, Ralph N. Yumul, Anthony T. Benavente, Roman Benavente, and Larry Deleon Guerrero, and representatives-elect Edwin Propst, Vinson Sablan, and Blas Jonathan “B.J.” Attao.
Deleon Guerrero, meanwhile, is said to be counting on the votes of Rep. Anthony P. Sablan and freshmen lawmakers Edwin Aldan and Francis Taimanao.
Aside from Demapan, GOP representatives in the next House include Reps. Felicidad Ogumoro, John Paul P. Sablan, and George Camacho, and newcomers Angel Demapan, Joseph “Leepan” T. Guerrero, and Glenn L. Maratita.
Last week, the incoming Senate proclaimed that current vice president Victor Hocog (Ind-Rota) would be the president of the next Senate. Joining him in the leadership are Sen. Frank Borja (Ind-Tinian) as vice president, senator-elect Rep. Teresita Santos (R-Rota) as Senate secretary, and senator-elect Arnold Palacios as floor leader
The 18th Legislature will sine die is on Jan. 5. 2015, while the 19th Legislature will be sworn in on Jan. 12, 2015.
