By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

GOVERNOR Benigno R. Fitial and Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez appointed two different people for one seat on the Commonwealth Development Authority board of directors, according to Senate Floor Leader Felix T. Mendiola.
Mendiola, Covenant-Rota, said the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations decided to “entertain the initial appointment” made by Villagomez in his capacity as acting governor.
Villagomez re-appointed the current CDA board chairman, Vicente M. Calvo, early in March, to continue representing Rota on the board for another four years.
This month, however, Fitial told the Senate that he was appointing Vito Ulloa to the CDA board.
Mendiola said the Senate wants to know whether the CNMI’s two highest elected leaders are communicating with each other.
He noted that Villagomez’s re-appointment of Calvo was not officially transmitted to the Senate while Fitial’s appointment of Ulloa was officially brought to the attention of the senators.
But Mendiola said the members of the Senate committee have already acknowledged Calvo’s re-appointment and have received the necessary documents from the CDA chairman.
“The Senate can already act on validating Calvo’s re-appointment,” Mendiola said.
He noted that Fitial’s letter appointing Ulloa did not indicate that it was superseding Calvo’s nomination.
Mendiola said the committee favors Calvo’s re-appointment because the Senate is pleased with his performance as CDA chairman.
He said Calvo also helped Fitial win on Rota during the 2005 elections. This support, according to Mendiola, must not be “blatantly disregarded.”
He said appointing someone else is like a slap in the face to Calvo “and is un-called for.”