If Villagomez is convicted, what’s next for NMI?

With the trial of Lt. Gov. Timothy Villagomez nearing its end, the question arises: What happens if the CNMI’s second-in-command is found guilty?

According to the CNMI Constitution, no person convicted of a felony in the CNMI or any other U.S. jurisdiction is eligible to hold the Office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor unless a full pardon has been granted. Villagomez would need a presidential pardon because the federal government is trying the case.

In case of the removal, death, or resignation of the governor, the lieutenant governor shall become governor and the president of the Senate shall become lieutenant governor, according to the Constitution. However, it is not specified what will happen in the case of the lieutenant governor.

“If the offices of the governor and lieutenant governor are both vacant, the president of the Senate shall become acting governor and the speaker of the House shall become acting lieutenant governor,” the Constitution states.

If the governor is physically absent from the Commonwealth, the lieutenant governor assumes the position. If the lieutenant governor is absent or otherwise unavailable, the presiding officer of the Senate assumes the role.

Villagomez, along with his sister Joaquin Santos, and then-Commerce Secretary James Santos, are on trial for allegedly bilking the CNMI government out of thousands of dollars through business deals involving needless purchases of Rydlyme, a cleaning and de-scaling chemical, for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. Closing arguments in the case will start tomorrow.

Throughout the three-week trial, Villagomez has remained in his role as lieutenant governor, although he has not been reporting to the office because he has been in court each day.

According to the Constitution, the governor and lieutenant governor are subject to impeachment for treason, committing a felony, corruption, or neglect of duty.

In February, Rep. Tina Sablan authored a resolution that would have created a committee to investigate the allegations against Villagomez and report recommendations on whether there was cause for impeachment. Sablan was the only House member to support the resolution.

Gov. Benigno Fitial decided to skip a planned Department of the Interior-sponsored business summit earlier this month in light of Villagomez’s trial.

“Unfortunately, I informed [Office of Insular Affairs’] Nik Pula I will not be able to attend because I feel it will be a disservice on my part when my lieutenant governor is undergoing a court hearing,” the governor said on April 2, days after the start of the trial.