SENATOR Jose M. Dela Cruz is the new Senate vice president while Sen. Thomas P. Villagomez is his successor as Senate legislative secretary.
Dela Cruz, D-Tinian, replaces Sen. David M. Cing, D-Tinian, who resigned from the leadership following last week’s failed attempt to oust Paul A. Manglona from the Senate presidency.
Cing also gave up the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigation.
Senate Floor Leader Joaquin G. Adriano, D-Tinian, will again chair the committee. Sen. Ricardo S. Atalig, R-Rota, will remain as vice chairman.
The new leadership composition was contained in a resolution adopted by the Senate yesterday afternoon by a 7 to 0 vote.
Senate Minority Leader Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, abstained. Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero, American Reform-Saipan, criticized the leadership for failing to inform him in advance about the resolution. He then voted “yes.”
Cing was on Tinian and unable to attend the session.
Manglona, R-Rota, yesterday said he would do everything to improve cooperation among the senators.
Cing, Reyes and Guerrero now form the minority bloc.
In a separate interview, Reyes said the position given to Villagomez, R-Saipan, was “just a token gesture.”
“Irrespective of our differences, I still support Senator Villagomez, and the people of Saipan should be aware that they are still not recognized in the Senate under the leadership of Senator Manglona. They could have given the vice presidency to Saipan, but what they gave was a token acknowledgment, an attempt to make the people of Saipan believe that they are represented in the Senate leadership,” Reyes said.
Reyes and Guerrero on Thursday lashed at Villagomez for “not being truthful” about his role in the failed Senate “coup.”
Villagomez on Sunday admitted that he participated in the meetings of the minority senators, but added that he should not be expected to disclose it to the public as they were still in the “planning stage.”
The “coup” failed after Dela Cruz declined to join Cing and the three Saipan senators.
