Igisomar confirmed as DPL secretary

Sixto K. Igisomar

All nine senators confirmed Thursday last week the appointment of former Saipan senator Sixto K. Igisomar as secretary of the Department of Public Lands.

In a session held at the Tinian courthouse, senators adopted the Standing Committee Report 22-31 dated July 12, 2021, prepared by the Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations, which stated that, based on the overall assessment of Igisomar’s credentials, experiences, testimonies, goals for the agency, and other relevant issues considered, they are convinced that the appointee has the qualifications and leadership skills necessary to serve as the DPL secretary.

The EAGI Committee held confirmation hearings on Rota last June 28, on Tinian last July 6, and on Saipan last July 12.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres appointed Igisomar last May 9 to serve as the DPL secretary.

According to the committee’s report, many testified in support of Igisomar’s appointment. The committee also received written testimonies in opposition submitted by Raymond B. Quitugua, and MATUA Council for Chamorro Advancement president Liana M.S. Hofschneider.

Among the many issues the committee asked Igisomar was the landownership of certain Catholic churches in the Commonwealth.

The issue was raised during the Saipan hearing when an individual opposed Igisomar’s confirmation because he has not responded to the church land matter. Igisomar requested that he be allowed to respond in writing to avoid any gaps.

“On that issue if you’re talking about whether the Archdiocese of Chalan Kanoa owns properties that the churches are currently on, if I may request, I’d like to give you a written response to this because I’d like to put my mind around it,” he had said.

He said that, based on his current discussion with DPL directors on the properties, as he’s asked them already to look into the matter, there are questions whether the properties were purchased by the Archdiocese Guam.

With respect to timelines, Igisomar said, there are questions whether they were purchased pre-Constitution/pre-Covenant, and whether those properties were actually changed into private properties once they were transmitted to the church, “and whether those properties now are all private properties of all the churches, with the exception of San Vicente Church, as a land exchange between Rota or Tinian to that land where San Vicente Church is now,” he said.

Igisomar said he has received some answers from the directors and that he’d like to put it in writing so that he can have a correct presentation and not create any doubts or gaps in his presentation to the committee.

The committee, which is chaired by Sen. Francisco Q. Cruz (R-Tinian), encouraged Igisomar to look into this matter as it is a very sensitive and important issue for the community.

The committee stated that it would be unfair for the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa for the property to be deeded to the Archdiocese of Guam.

Igisomar said that public lands domain is in public lands. “If that property has been changed into private land, we will have no direct access to investigating it. However, as I stated, I will formalize a written response to this committee on that matter,” he said.

The committee asked Igisomar to also look into the property on Rota as it is unclear who owns the land where the church is located.

Igisomar noted that the same question was brought to him when he was a senator and that his response was that he did not have all the resources to respond to that question accordingly. But now that he is at DPL, Igisomar said he will respond to this question within his capacity as DPL secretary, if confirmed.

The committee believes that, although the concern about the churches’ ownership is legitimate, it believes that Igisomar will be able to address this matter within his capacity as DPL chief.

At a Senate session last July, Sen. Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) underscored the need for the CNMI government to work perhaps with the Office of the Attorney General to go back in time and see whether the government still has rights to the lands where Catholic churches in the CNMI are erected.

DeLeon Guerrero said lawmakers should be concerned because if these public lands are being held as liens to settle a huge case right now against the Catholic Church in Guam, it will affect the people of the CNMI.