Atalig, 3 others served with subpoenas

A House of Representatives special committee issued Wednesday subpoenas that summon former Department of Finance secretary David DLG Atalig and three others to appear before the committee as it continues its probe into the previous administration’s Building Optimism, Opportunity and Stability Together Program.

Atalig and contractors Salina Sapp, Robert Travilla, and Shayne Villanueva were served with the subpoenas by the House sergeant-at-arms and were commanded to appear and testify in the House chamber on Feb. 20, 2024 at 10am. Sapp, Travilla, and Villanueva were in charge of the BOOST program’s marketing.

The subpoenas were signed by Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan), who chairs the Special Committee on Federal Assistance and Disaster-Related Funding, and vice chair Rep. Edwin K. Propst (Ind-Saipan).

The four witnesses are allowed to be accompanied by lawyers of their choosing and must remain during the proceeding until excused by the committee.

Failure to comply with the subpoena may subject the witnesses to contempt and a civil enforcement action.

Yumul told Saipan Tribune yesterday that the Feb. 20 date is a tentative schedule as there might be changes and that they will have to check with the lawyers of the four witnesses if they are available on that day.

As for former governor Ralph DLG Torres himself, Yumul said committee members will have to sit down and decide as to when they will call him to testify. Yumul said they will possibly call Torres as a final witness.

Using $17 million in federal money provided under the American Rescue Plan Act, BOOST was a project of the previous Office of the Governor, Department of Finance, and Department of Commerce. It aimed to provide financial assistance to CNMI businesses and nonprofit organizations, but some lawmakers alleged that it was used by Torres to gain votes in the 2022 gubernatorial election and enrich the previous administration’s cronies.

David DLG Atalig