By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE leader of the local group Taotao Tano Association expressed dismay with Rep. Stanley T. Torres’s agreement with Commonwealth Utilities Corp. regarding utility payments.
But Torres, Ind.-Saipan, said his case against CUC is still pending in court.
In a letter to Torres, Gregorio S. Cruz Jr., president of the association, said the lawmaker’s move contradicted his earlier stance against the fuel surcharge.
“I am confused,” Cruz said. “First you and the House minority bloc made consumers believe that surcharges could be disputed, so they followed you and signed up. The consumers took your minority bloc’s advice and were given documents to submit to CUC regarding the dispute (in terms of kilowatt usage).”
He added that consumers believed that Torres was helping them and they stopped paying the surcharge.
“Then you went to court and filed on your behalf for your billing disputes but your request was denied and now you have to pay (CUC),” Cruz said.
The people who joined the lawmaker’s protest against CUC’s power rates will now be without electricity because Torres signed a promissory note with the agency prior to going to court.
“(This) contradicts your own quest not to pay surcharges as the consumers were made to believe,” Cruz said.
In an interview, Torres yesterday said he had to sign the promissory note with CUC.
“I did not willingly sign the promissory note,” he said. “I did it because I was pressured and threatened by CUC as usual as they recklessly cut the power of other low-income customers.”
He said people may misunderstand the real situation about his CUC case.
“The case is still active and pending an appeal of Judge (David) Wiseman’s decision,” he added.
In a letter to Torres dated April 4, CUC stated: “To prevent your accounts from being disconnected for nonpayment of the unpaid disputed amounts, you must pay the additional amounts of $117.44 (for account no. 12848-8) and $181.32 (for account no. 34375-6) that are needed to equal the 25 percent down payment and sign the 3-month promissory notes for $602.42 and $925.09 for the respective accounts no later than the next business day following receipt of this response.”
CUC said “failure to pay such amounts and or sign the promissory notes shall constitute a basis for discontinuance of electric service by CUC.”
Torres’ total past due is $2,104.14 for accounts 34375-6 and 12848-8. He made the initial payment of $210.42 to cover both accounts. He plans to pay the remaining $1,893.74 over nine months at $210 a month.