Residents Nicolas Aquino, Mariano Carlos and Laurence Ierago in a letter to Idechong said they want an expeditious resolution to the matter and asked that the delegates ask as the jurors and the Chief Justice presiding “to steer and guide the presentation of evidence and testimony so this matter can be resolved once and for all.”
Earlier, Edwin Mario before the HOD filed a complaint before the OEK against Yangilmau because he failed to meet the eligibility requirements of the Palau Constitution to be a member of the OEK.The residents said that in a open public trial, Yangilmau has to meet the four criteria for membership in the OEK required by the Palau Constitution and these four criteria are citizenship, that he has to be 25 years old or more and that he has to have five years residence in Palau and a resident of the district in which he wishes to run for office for not less than one year residency immediately preceding the election.“If upon an open public trial and it is proven that Yangilmau met all these four Constitutional criteria then this matter should be put to rest, but if it is proven that he failed to meet any one of these four requirements then he must be removed from the House immediately and a qualified replacement be installed in pursuant of the law,” the letter stated.The residents said that HOD failing to act on the matter will set an “undesirable historical course that will lead this young nation into the ranks of the banana republics.”The letter said that the matter should be put to rest once and for all.
