Senate still weighing power plant probe

The Senate is set to decide this week whether bribery allegations leveled against Commonwealth Utilities Corporation Executive Director Timothy P. Villagomez warrant a full-scale investigation even as some senators reacted mildly on Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero’s move.

Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations Committee Chair Sen. Joaquin G. Adriano will meet on Thursday with members of the panel to discuss the possibility of investigating the purported affidavit that claimed wrongdoing by Mr. Villagomez on the controversial Saipan power project.

“This is not an oversight. This is just a complaint the committee will look into,” he told reporters after the joint legislative session yesterday at the Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center. “The committee will not shrink to investigate any angle to that complaint.”

But Mr. Adriano stressed the panel will work with the Attorney General’s Office to assist in its attempt to find out whether the affidavit made by Alice Fleming Villagomez, ex-wife of the CUC chief, has grounds to warrant a probe.

Mr. Villagomez has maintained he was cleared by AGO last year when it investigated the document which it reportedly found without basis and immediately closed the case.

The affidavit charging the top utility official impropriety in handling the procurement of the mothballed 80-megawatt plant for Saipan is at the center of the probe sought last week by Mr. Guerrero.

In a letter addressed to the EAGI chair, the Saipan senator described the allegations “serious” that “paint a very corrupt picture of high government officials, the abuse of their authority and discretion, and their complete disregard for their fiduciary responsibilities” to the people.

Mr. Villagomez has called the claims “lies” as he dismissed it a “result of domestic case.” He also threatened to bring the issue to court for alleged libelous statements dragging his family into the controversy.

CUC Board Chair Rosario M. Elameto also lashed back at Mr. Guerrero in defense of the executive director, calling the move “irresponsible” and an “attack” to the decision of the government-owned utility corporation to downsize the capacity of the plant to 60 megawatts.

Caution

In a separate interview, Sen. Edward U. Maratita cautioned the upper house against hastily calling the inquiry as he cited the AG’s decision dismissing the bribery allegations.

“Based on the findings, I don’t know whether we’re going to be investigating or we are going to get through and find out something,” said the senator, who is also a EAGI member. “We just have to make sure because we don’t want to be wasting our time and resources in investigating and nothing will be accomplished.”

Mr. Maratita left the decision to the committee chair to decide whether there is a need for another investigation by the Senate on the matter.

Another member of the panel, Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes also appeared lukewarm toward a colleague’s request, although he said he would push ahead with his active participation into the project’s bidding.

He maintained that he will file legislation to force CUC to build the proposed plant and allow flexibility in future expansion plans.

“I haven’t seen any of that, but I just want to focus on my concern,” said Mr. Reyes.

A former CUC executive director, Mr. Guerrero has stressed the investigation would answer questions surrounding the much delayed power project following the three-year procurement marked by protests from bidders.