{"id":415015,"date":"2024-10-21T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-21T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=415015"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"Mu-a-I-will-not-be-silenced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/Mu-a-I-will-not-be-silenced\/","title":{"rendered":"Mu\u00f1a: I will not be silenced"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp.\u2014after placing its grants writer Candice Nicole L.G. Mu\u00f1a on administrative leave following public allegations of corruption, mismanagement of funds, and more\u2014has terminated her employment. In a statement from Mu\u00f1a to the press, she says this will not deter her and she will not be silenced.<\/p>\n

Last Oct. 17, CUC executive director Kevin Watson sent out a notice of termination of employment addressed to Mu\u00f1a. The termination notice comes just nine days after Watson placed Mu\u00f1a on administrative leave pending investigation into several incidences including unsubstantiated claims, complaint of harassment and hostile work environment, incidents of insubordination, breach of protocols, and more.<\/p>\n

Watson, in a statement to the media last Thursday, said Mu\u00f1a\u2019s claims of corruption are unsubstantiated.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think she\u2019s a whistleblower because there was no substantiated corruption, and these are just accusations she is making. The accusations were personnel matters and had nothing to do with corruption or anything of that sort. It\u2019s just about a grievance she filed against another employee, and we need to protect the privacy of all individuals so that\u2019s all I can say about that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

However, in a six-page statement from Mu\u00f1a to the media, she argues she is a whistleblower and she stands firm in her claims stating that as a grants writer, she witnessed them first hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhistleblowers are individuals who, at great personal risk, expose unethical practices, corruption, or fraud within organizations or institutions. Their actions are motivated by a sense of duty to the public, often in response to mismanagement or violations of the law that harm the broader community. Whistleblowers are essential in holding institutions accountable, as they shine a light on practices that would otherwise remain hidden. This courageous act of coming forward often leads to retaliation\u2014both personal and professional\u2014but it is done in the name of justice, transparency, and the public good. I am a whistleblower because, in my role as a grants writer at the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. (CUC), I witnessed, first hand, a pattern of inefficiency, mismanagement, unjust hiring practices and handling of grievances by HR and senior management, corruption, cronyism, and mismanagement of the utility that directly and adversely affects the lives, health and well-being of the people of the CNMI. When I saw these practices unfolding and realized the impact they had on our community\u2014particularly the unjust financial burden placed on ratepayers and the manipulation of public and federal funds\u2014I knew I had to speak up,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1a says her decision was not an easy one, as it has led to significant personal and professional repercussions, including termination. However, she is compelled to take this stand for the betterment of our community, knowing that the people of the CNMI deserve leaders and public servants who are accountable, transparent, and committed to the common good.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I took my role at the CUC as grants writer, it was with the intent to serve our community, to successfully bring in federal grant funding to improve the CNMI\u2019s power, water, and wastewater services, to ensure that public funds and resources were used to lower the cost of utilities, and ultimately to serve the people of the CNMI. But in my six months at CUC, I encountered a deeply entrenched culture of inefficiency, mismanagement, secrecy, corruption, cronyism, and self-interest that undermines these very values. My decision to speak out came at a great personal cost\u2014one that I accepted because I knew the people of the CNMI deserve better and that I must do because it hurts my heart to see our people suffer unnecessarily because of CUC\u2019s senior management, which can be boiled down to less than a handful of people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince my termination on Oct. 18, 2024, CUC leadership, through executive director, figurehead Kevin Watson, have tried to discredit me by labeling me as a disgruntled employee. They aim to silence me, painting me as someone acting out of spite, but this couldn\u2019t be further from the truth,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Citing her public testimony at the Legislature on Oct. 3, Mu\u00f1a says she faced not just professional retaliation but a deeply personal violation<\/p>\n

\u201cA non-consensual photo and video of me were spread online by some CUC employees, their families, and allies, posted by a former partner under a fake profile. This kind of cyber exploitation is not only illegal under both local and federal law, but it is also a form of abuse and retaliation for my whistleblower activities. Furthermore, it was brought to my attention that these cyberbullying attacks by some CUC employees occurred during government working hours, which means that these CUC employees were paid with the ratepayer\u2019s money to unlawfully bully me. This further strengthens my case that CUC leadership condones such behaviors and is wasting ratepayer and taxpayer funds when it should be focusing on more productive work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1a further states that her fight is not about her; it\u2019s about fairness and accountability for all CNMI ratepayers. Despite this personal attack, she says she refuses to be deterred.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me be clear\u2014none of us are without flaws, but our imperfections do not disqualify us from standing up for justice. Just as one would instinctively act to save a person in danger, I stepped forward to protect the people of the CNMI from various dishonest and unjust things: 1) the exorbitant and unpredictable utility rate imposed by CUC\u2014one of the highest in the U.S. and its territories, 2) unjust practices within CUC that shirk due process and the rule of law, 3) various conflicts of interest that seem to reflect CUC\u2019s values of favoring the rich and powerful over the greatest good of the people, as well as 4) a genset scandal that is currently resulting in a vendor protest filed at the court, among other serious concerns. In regards to the Fuel Adjustment Charge (FAC), I have witnessed the burden these rates place on our already disadvantaged community and when even the hospital and government could not afford their bills, I knew it was time to speak up. If I were truly a disgruntled employee, you might expect me to be angry over my termination, based on the claim that I was working without a contract. But the truth is, there are many disgruntled employees within CUC who know what is going on; however, I acted out of selflessness for a higher purpose and a cause that is much greater and more pressing than my own personal issues. I risked my own job and reputation with the great faith that my voice could light a fire in our community that will put an end to needless suffering of our people. We are still reeling and recovering from the trauma of the last administration, and it is so unfair that we are still suffering from the lack of justice. As my role model, the late Senator Angel LG Santos once said, \u201cAn injustice somewhere is a threat to justice everywhere.\u201d CUC putting all our people into financial burden and even debt is an injustice to our people that must be stopped,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1a adds that she will not be silenced and is prepared to pursue legal action.<\/p>\n

\u201cThroughout this ordeal, I have made sacrifices\u2014sacrifices that not everyone sees. My family, my reputation, and my safety have been placed at risk. It would have been easier to remain silent, to look the other way and to allow the system to continue unchecked. But I could not live with myself knowing that the people of the CNMI were being exploited and that I did nothing to stop it. My termination, the personal attacks, and the attempts to silence me have only strengthened my resolve to finish this tremendous task that I started. Despite receiving a termination letter on October 17, 2024, claiming I was never hired, I will not be silenced. This fight is not about me\u2014it\u2019s about the people of the CNMI and the future we all deserve. The corruption, the conflicts of interest, and the blatant disregard for public accountability within CUC must be addressed. The people of the CNMI deserve better\u2014our people have been cheated for far too long. We deserve leaders who will act in our interest\u2014not for personal gain. Going forward, I will continue to stand for fairness, transparency, and the ethical use of public funds in service of all people, not just a select few, no matter the challenges I face. I believe CUC has met their match and I am prepared to move forward legally to pursue justice,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Former CUC employee Candice Nicole L.G. Muna leads the newly established advocacy group Hands of the Community.<\/p>\n

-KIMBERLY B. ESMORES
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