‘Villagomez made follow-ups on $120K contract’

A former Commonwealth Utilities Corp. employee testified yesterday that Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez contacted her several times to follow up on a $120,000 CUC contract that she prepared for CUC and Joaquina V. Santos’ Blue Pacific.

This developed as a CUC trade specialist said yesterday that he requested the purchase of 10 drums of the chemical called Rydlyme without instructions from Villagomez, James Santos, or from any other person.

In the ongoing jury trial of Villagomez, James A. Santos, and Joaquina V. Santos in federal court, the U.S. government called to the witness stand former CUC administrative support specialist Charlene Mendiola Tenorio, CUC trade specialist David S. Cabrera, and CUC budget and fiscal officer Bettina G. Terlaje.

During direct examination by assistant U.S. attorney Eric O’Malley, Tenorio said she received in 2007 a quotation from Joaquina Santos of Blue Pacific for Rydlyme. She recognized a document as a fax confirmation dated Oct. 26, 2007, that CUC was in need of 60 drums of Rydlyme.

After receiving the quotation, she said she prepared the $120,000 contract and that a notice to proceed with the contract was signed by then CUC executive director Anthony Guerrero.

When asked if there was communication between her and Villagomez relating to the contract, Tenorio said Villagomez called her less than five times and texted her once or twice to follow up on the status of the contract. She said, though, that the lieutenant governor did not call her about the payment.

Tenorio said Joaquina Santos also called her to inquire about the status of the contract, just like any other vendor.

Tenorio admitted that she is related to Villagomez and his sister Joaquina Santos. Tenorio’s husband is cousin of Villagomez and Joaquina Santos.

Asked if she had a choice when she executed the contract, Tenorio replied, “No,” as it was Anthony Guerrero who instructed her to prepare the contract.

During direct examination by O’Malley, Cabrera admitted requesting Rydlyme in September 2007 because at the time almost all engines in the power plant needed overhauling. Cabrera said it was his decision to make the requisition to purchase 10 drums at 55-gallon each of Rydlyme, for a total of 550 gallons.

Shown a document requesting for an emergency purchase of 20 drums, Cabrera said his request was for 10 drums only and that he never stated it was for an emergency.

“I didn’t think at the time it was emergency. I thought it was a necessity,” the witness said.

Cabrera said he was among the CUC staff who were sent on a weeklong training on Rydlyme to Apex Engineering Products, the manufacturer of the chemical, in Illinois.

During cross-examination, David J. Lujan, counsel for Villagomez, asked Cabrera: “In regards to 2007, your testimony is that you are the one who ordered Rydlyme?”

“That’s correct,” Cabrera said, agreeing with Lujan that Villagomez and James Santos did not ask him to buy the product.

Terlaje testified that the $120,000 2007 contract to purchase Rydlyme was rushed and that the payment was made ahead of other vendors that CUC owed at the time.

Terlaje said she did not sign the first contract after noting some deficiencies. She said she called CUC’s then acting chief financial officer Joanne S. Paraiso to whom she expressed her concerns.

Attorney Victorino Torres, counsel for James Santos, showed Terlaje a CUC receiving report indicating that CUC got 3,000 gallons of Rydlyme on Nov. 19, 2007. She agreed with Torres that the changes in the term of payment in the second contract were the result of her concerns.

When asked if she believes Blue Pacific got special treatment since it merely got paid as part of a contact, Terlaje said she believes so if there are people pushing to pay for the contract even if there are other vendors waiting in line for payments.

Terlaje is a sister of Anthony Guerrero.