CUC board awaits opinion on two Rota reps

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. board of directors postponed its meeting yesterday pending the resolution of the issue over the board’s having two representatives from Rota.

The board tentatively rescheduled the meeting for Thursday, by which time CUC expects to have a legal opinion issued by the Attorney General’s Office. Attorney Edward Manibusan, legal counsel for the board, was tasked to ask the AGO for the opinion.

Martin Mendiola and Laura Manglona attended the special meeting yesterday morning, both claiming to be the legitimate Rota representative to the CUC board.

“I shall continue to participate as a representative of Rota to the CUC board until such time that the court makes a final decision as to who the official representative is,” Mendiola said.

Mendiola maintained that he performed well during the four months that he has served as a CUC director. “I am a good representative not only for the people of Rota, but for the entire CNMI. I am qualified and I have demonstrated that by making positive actions [over the past four months].”

For her part, Manglona cited the Senate confirmation process to support her claim to the position.

“I am the official representative of the island of Rota. I went through the legal process. The governor appointed me and the [Senate Committee on] Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations confirmed me,” Manglona said. “And before they even did the confirmation, they had to clear the issue on whether it’s okay for me to be appointed to replace director Mendiola. They did their homework, and then went ahead and confirmed me.”

Mendiola was appointed in November 2004 to replace Manglona, whose term expired on March 11, 2004.

Earlier this month, however, Gov. Juan N. Babauta named Manglona back to the post, which Mendiola supposedly vacated when he was confirmed by the Rota Municipal Council as the new resident director of the Department of Commerce for Rota on Feb. 18, 2005.

Mendiola said, however, that he never gave up his position on the CUC board. He added that he received no information regarding his replacement until he read about it on the newspaper.

In view of Manglona’s confirmation and Mendiola’s refusal to relinquish the post, CUC attorney Manibusan issued an opinion saying that both may participate in board discussions. Neither of their votes, however, will be counted.