By Emmanuel T. Erediano
emmanuel@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
REPRESENTATIVE Vincent “Kobre” Aldan opposes legislation that would waive the $15.7 million the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. owes the Department of Public Works for road cuttings.
“So CUC wants to be pardoned for its actions?” asked Aldan, chair of the House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications.
“I don’t support clown operation,” he added without elaborating.
A draft of the bill was forwarded to him by Rep. Thomas John Manglona, chair of the House Committee on Commerce. Aldan told Variety in a phone interview Monday that his committee will shelve the measure.
On Oct. 29, 2025, CUC Executive Director Kevin Watson submitted the draft bill to the House Committee on Commerce. The proposal mirrors Public Law 24-11, which waived outstanding penalties, surcharges, interest, and late fees owed by the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation to CUC.
The proposed bill would waive the $15.7 million that CUC owes DPW for fines and penalties related to 110 road cuttings during repair and maintenance operations at various locations. Watson sent the draft to Manglona a week after DPW Secretary Ray N. Yumul demanded payment of the outstanding civil fines.
Watson told Manglona the legislation “would not harm any ratepayers and in fact would keep fees, fines, and penalties from becoming a pass-through cost that ratepayers would ultimately bear.” He added that if DPW’s demand were enforced, “CUC would either be forced into receivership or compelled to implement rolling blackouts across Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to preserve minimal operations.”
Watson said CUC has incurred losses averaging millions per year between fiscal years 2021 and 2024, and that the fines and penalties DPW is imposing “will have disastrous effects on the people of the CNMI.”
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
