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CUC undecided on legal counsel’s replacement
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Posted on Mar 30 2000
The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation has yet to decide whether to replace its legal counsel, Assistant Attorney General Bill Ohle who has resigned, with another government lawyer or hire a private law firm.
According to CUC Executive Director Timothy P. Villagomez, he has asked the board for direction on how to replace their current legal counsel, who is scheduled to leave in June.
The government-owned utility corporation has another in-house legal counsel at present to assist Mr. Ohle during the transition period before his departure.
But because of the controversy hounding CUC, particularly on the much delayed Saipan power project and the board infighting, they may need a more permanent legal representation.
“We do need a counsel to guide the board and also the corporation in some of these pressing matters,” Mr. Villagomez told in an interview yesterday.
CUC will either get a replacement from the Attorney General’s Office or enter into a contract with a private law firm, added the utility chief. “Those options have to be discussed with the board,” said Mr. Villagomez.
Acting Attorney General Herb D. Soll assured the board last week that his office is ready to assign a new legal counsel for the utility corporation once Mr. Ohle leaves.
But board members, led by Chairman Jesus T. Guerrero, had lobbied the House of Representatives at the same time to pass a measure that will authorize them to seek services of a private legal counsel in a bid to avoid possible conflict of interest.
House Bill 12-150, which will amend existing law to forbid CUC from hiring government lawyers as its counsel, is now under review by the Senate.
Mr. Ohle, who has been with CUC for the last five years, resigned last March 15 for personal reasons. His resignation is effective June 15.
