PUC to CUC board: Resign or be fired!

House Public Utilities and Communications Committee chair Francisco S. Dela Cruz (R-Saipan) recommends that the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. board members, sans David Sablan, should resign or that Gov. Ralph DLG Torres should fire them.

Dela Cruz released yesterday a copy of his committee report three weeks after meeting the CUC board to investigate their actions on the planned procurement of a diesel engine. The project was halted after a public outcry.

“The committee recommends, after being given all the evidence, that the directors of the board, with the exception of Mr. David Sablan, resign from the CUC board,” said Dela Cruz in the letter addressed to House Speaker Rafael S. Demapan (R-Saipan).

“If the members feel that they do not agree with this recommendation, then this PUC committee respectfully requests the governor to terminate the directors, again with the exception of director Sablan.”

Four of the six members of the committee signed the letter. Copies were also given to the Governor’s Office, the Office of the Public Auditor, and the CNMI Office of the Attorney General.

Committee vice chair Joseph Leepan T. Guerrero, and Reps. Francisco C. Aguon (R-Saipan), and Blas Jonathan T. Attao (Ind-Saipan) were the others who signed the letter. Rep. Edwin P. Aldan (R-Tinian) abstained, while Rep. Jose I. Itibus (R-Saipan) is off-island.

The planned engine procurement allegedly did not go through the proper procedures Also, some board members reportedly had conflicts of interests, being related to winning bidder General Pacific Services Marianas Inc. Sen. James V. Espaldon of Guam was involved as the spokesperson and representative of the GPSM contract.

Dela Cruz added that some members of the board were directly in conflict with GPSM. “[The committee] recommended that they immediately cancel the [request for quotation] and begin the process anew with [a request for proposal] that should be performed in the most prudent, transparent, and legal manner.”

The CUC board cancelled the project after back-to-back oversight hearings, each conducted by the House and Senate committees last month. Sen. Sixto K. Igisomar (R-Saipan) chairs the committee in the Senate.

Dela Cruz said the board, again with the exception of Sablan, had known that the action they have taken with GPSM was laced not only conflicts of interests but leading to collusion and corruption.

“It is seemingly inappropriate that the CUC board throughout this RFQ process would hold executive sessions, leaving the public that were invited to wait and not be informed of their actions,” said Dela Cruz.

“Even more troubling is the conduct [of] these meetings where the public, even legislators, where being asked by some board members, ‘what are you doing here’ or ‘why haven’t you been attending our meeting so you know what we are doing.’ These types of rhetoric and conduct is unprofessional and undiplomatic, to say the least, of a public servant and for ones who have taken their oath of office.”

He added that some members of the CUC board were also disrespectful to the committee as they were busy on their phones while the meeting was in progress.
 
Torres to decide

Torres said the issue on the CUC board had been keeping him up at night. “I’ve been thinking of it every night, every day. I will be making a very tough decision, I’ll be meeting with the board next week.”

“A decision has to be made. Ultimately I want to start with a new procedure. We have a lot of recommendations with everybody and I think the recommendations are almost the same.”

He added that he would consider all recommendations made by all sectors from the community. “I would consider all recommendations, I’m going to read all of it. Weigh all options and make sure consume the information thoroughly.”