Some House of Representatives members who voted to impeach former governor Benigno R. Fitial in 2012 and 2013 welcomed the news yesterday that Fitial is willing to come back to face the criminal charges against him, after months of what lawmakers described as his \u201cflagrant disregard of the judicial process.\u201d
\nHouse vice speaker Frank Dela Cruz (Ind-Saipan), main author of the Fitial extradition resolution, said yesterday the resolution\u2019s intent \u201cwas really so that the former governor can come back to face the charges against him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m glad that he is willing to come back on his own free will. I\u2019m glad he made this decision,\u201d Dela Cruz said.<\/p>\n
Fitial\u2019s counsel Stephen Nutting filed a motion requesting the Superior Court to quash the arrest warrant that the court issued against him.<\/p>\n
Gov. Eloy S. Inos earlier told reporters he is willing to request the federal government to extradite Fitial\u2014if and when the CNMI Office of the Attorney General recommends pursuing the former governor.<\/p>\n
As of yesterday, the governor has yet to receive any such recommendation from the OAG.<\/p>\n
House Speaker Joseph Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan), main author of two impeachment resolutions against Fitial, noted yesterday that this is only the first time that Fitial communicated with the courts or the CNMI government.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s never bothered to acknowledge the court process for several months. Whether he\u2019s there in the Philippines for legitimate reasons or not, he has not communicated that to the courts. That, to me, is a flagrant disregard of our judicial process, of our courts,\u201d Deleon Guerrero told Saipan Tribune in an interview.<\/p>\n
This comes several months after the court issued an arrest warrant against Fitial and long after he was charged with criminal acts in connection with the trial of his former attorney general Edward T. Buckingham.<\/p>\n
Fitial filed a declaration executed in Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines dated Feb. 27. That was about a week after Buckingham was found guilty of all public corruption charges except one and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, all suspended.<\/p>\n
Some lawmakers also noted the timing of Fitial\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Fitial] knows he might be forced to come back in an embarrassing manner if he is extradited,\u201d the speaker said.<\/p>\n
Fitial, through his attorney, said he wants to return to the CNMI from the Philippines to face the criminal charges filed against him as he has no desire to become a fugitive. Fitial cited his own medical condition and that of his father-in-law\u2019s health for not being able to return to the CNMI. Fitial has been staying in the Philippines, his wife\u2019s home country.<\/p>\n
Until recently, the CNMI court or the government has never heard from Fitial, since the day he left on Feb. 21, 2013, a day after his resignation just days before the start of his impeachment trial at the Senate.<\/p>\n
Rep. Janet Maratita (Ind-Saipan) said yesterday \u201cif there\u2019s assurance of [Fitial\u2019s] appearance and willingness to come back to the CNMI at his cost, then I think he should be given that opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a saving for our government as we do not have to take the extradition process. After all, he is also entitled to due process,\u201d Maratita added.<\/p>\n
Some lawmakers had previously said that an international extradition process is costly.<\/p>\n
Rep. Ray Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan) separately said it\u2019s now up to the courts to decide on Fitial\u2019s request to quash the arrest warrant against him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Legislature has no business, either thoughts or opinions expressed, in quashing court orders. Let it be. That\u2019s the third branch of our republican form of government\u2019s role and responsibility,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Rep. Antonio Benavente (Ind-Saipan) said that Fitial\u2019s intent to return is \u201cgood,\u201d but he said the court order is beyond the Legislature\u2019s control.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo let him come and face whatever his charges he has coming to him,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Rep. Edmund Villagomez (Cov-Saipan ) said he thinks \u201cit is the right thing for him [Fitial] to do\u2014warrant or no warrant.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Office of the Public Auditor filed seven criminal charges against Fitial for his role in shielding Buckingham from being served with penal summons in August 2012.<\/p>\n
These include conspiracy to commit theft of services, conspiracy to commit obstructing justice, theft of services, misconduct in public office, and obstructing justice.<\/p>\n
Buckingham, during his trial early this year, said it was Fitial\u2019s idea to have Buckingham escorted around the time he was being served a penal summons.<\/p>\n
Fitial is the first governor in the CNMI or any U.S. territory to be impeached by a House of Representatives. He is also so far the only CNMI governor to resign, and that was days before the Senate was to conduct his impeachment trial to determine whether he should be removed from office or not.<\/p>\n
Historian Don Farrell earlier said he believes that Fitial\u2019s \u201crise and fall\u201d will have \u201ca lasting effect on CNMI politics and government\u201d for generations to come.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite all the good things that Governor Fitial may have done during his rise to power, it was not enough to absolve him of the perception of wrongdoing that pervaded his authoritarian style of governing,\u201d the historian added.<\/p>\n
Fitial\u2019s impeachment, resignation, and replacement by his former lieutenant governor are covered in the last chapter of Farrell\u2019s new NMI history book.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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