The merger, which followed the return of Gov. Benigno R. Fitial to the GOP, means that there is no longer an opposition party on Capital Hill.
Speaking to several administration officials, Babauta declared that “as officers of the party, we accept the applications and you the Covenant Party members who are here are now members of the Republican Party.”
Among the administration officials were Department of Public Lands Secretary Oscar M. Babauta, Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Melvin O. Faisao, Carolinian Affairs Executive Director Angie I. Mangarero and Customs Director Jesus Muna.
Also attending the meeting were Sen. Luis P. Crisostimo, Ind.-Saipan, Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, Speaker Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, Rep. Joseph M. Palacios, R-Saipan, Division of Fish and Wildlife Director Arnold I. Palacios, Marianas Public Land Trust Chairman Alvaro Santos and Zoning Board Chairman Diego Blanco.
Not all Republicans were enthusiastic about accepting Covenant members. Some outgoing GOP officials expressed concern about the violation of party rules in accepting new members.
Danny Aquino, a member of the party’s executive committee, said they were never consulted about the applications of the 1,000 Covenant Party members.
He reminded everyone about the many members the party had lost because of those who kept breaking party rules.
The GOP split in 2005 after the followers of then-Governor Babauta made the unprecedented decision not to hold a gubernatorial primary. Babauta finished third in the gubernatorial race that was won by Fitial. In 2009, Babauta ran and lost against then-Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider in the GOP gubernatorial primary and supported Fitial in the general elections and the runoff. Last year, Babauta was the GOP candidate for delegate but could only finish third in the four-way race.
Sources said Fitial is “grooming” his former bitter rival, Babauta, to be the GOP candidate once again against Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan next year.
Babauta is also expected to be chairman of the new public health corporation board.
Citing the party’s bylaws, Aquino said during Friday’s meeting that the executive committee had to convene and discuss membership applications.
“I do not object [to Covenant Party members] coming in but let us do it the right way,” he said.
Babauta said he understood Aquino’s concerns but the GOP went ahead and accepted the new members anyway.
The party’s new first vice president is now Coastal Resources Management Office Director Rita DLC. Chong; second vice president, Commonwealth Ports Authority Executive Director Edward Deleon Guerrero; and secretary, Division of Fish and Wildlife aquatic division specialist Richard B. Seman.
Party treasurer Ramon S. Salas was reelected.
The party also elected Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission board member and Retirement Fund counsel Viola Alepuyo as the new committeewoman although the current committeewoman, Board of Education Chairwoman Marylou Ada, will serve until the end of the end of this year’s Republican National Convention in September 2012. Committeeman Roman Bo Palacios was reelected. Alepuyo is the wife of the Covenant Party’s delegate candidate last year, former Rep. Joseph N. Camacho.
In his speech after his election as party president, Babauta told the GOP members: “I want to work hard to serve you well.”
Salas said it was the blue ribbon committee created to merge the Covenant Party and the GOP that presented the membership applications to the Republican board. Executive committee board chairman John “Liling” Reyes, he added, reviewed the list and recommended the acceptance of the new members.
Former Speaker Oscar C. Rasa disclosed that some original members of the blue ribbon committee bolted and decided to stay with the Covenant Party which he described as a “betrayal.”
Fitial left the Republican Party in 2001 to form the Covenant Party and run for governor. He lost to Babauta in a landslide that year, but won against Hofschneider in 2005 by 85 votes. In 2009, he trailed Hofschnerider by 8 votes in the general elections, but won the runoff by 370 votes with the support of Republicans who abandoned their party’s candidate.
