Previous Story
Reyes on rumors: What arrest?
|
Posted on Jul 28 2008
The Fitial administration yesterday downplayed rumors that federal agents have either arrested or questioned Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez in relation to a probe on a $1-million power plant repair deal.
“It’s troubling that this kind of stories have been spreading,” said press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. “It’s all allegations and hearsay at this time. I think we just have to wait until we get tangible evidence or hear from the feds.”
Villagomez remains silent about the unconfirmed reports. His staff members told the Saipan Tribune yesterday that the lieutenant governor is back from New York but he did not come in to work. Phone calls made to his house were not answered. At press time, Villagomez has not replied to an e-mail seeking confirmation of the reports.
The rumors started after the Federal Bureau of Investigation subpoenaed a host of former and current employees of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. to testify as part of a probe. The FBI is investigating a federally funded contract for the repair of a Saipan power plant. The Commonwealth Utilities Corp., with Villagomez’s approval, inked the deal with Commonwealth Industrial Supply Corp. in 2006. CISCO failed to deliver on its part of the contract.
According to Reyes, the Governor’s Office has not received word from the U.S. government about the federal probe.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty, there’s a lot of speculations. As far as I know, we haven’t received an official notice from any federal agency about an arrest or a pending indictment. If this is true, we’ll just have to wait for them [federal government] to act and probably take it from there,” Reyes said.
