Except for Juan S. Demapan, the supposed mayoral bet of the party, all the other Covenant candidates joined the governor in filling forms that officially entitles them to join the Nov. 7 general elections.
Demapan, the Covenant’s Washington Resident Representative candidate in the 2005 general elections, was booted out of the party.
In a statement, Demapan said he was never informed about the decision and was not even given any courtesy to be heard.
“The Covenant Party is one-man rule and I am not surprised about the decision given recent developments,” he said.
“Politics just like others is a two-way street. Clearly, the interest of the Covenant Party is about electing Benigno R. Fitial again as governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. Its interest is not about getting the other candidates elected and I give former councilwoman Marian Tudela the best of luck. As the saying goes, “Fool me once, you are a fool; fool me twice, I am a fool.”
Covenant Party’s interest is mainly to re-elect the governor and not getting the other candidates win in their electoral posts.
Covenant Party Chairman Greg M. Camacho confirmed that Tudela is now the party’s official mayoral candidate because Demapan was “decertified” for his failure to meet all of the requirements requested by the candidates’ selection committee.
“He did not meet all the requirements that we requested from him to submit like the petition, official form of the certification form of candidacy and the fees of $250,” Camacho said.
He said the committee decided that Tudela, who was placed second in the selection, be their mayoral candidate.
Fitial, in an interview, said the Covenant Party will hold its opening salvo in Rota soon.
“All of the candidates running in Rota are supporting us,” he said.
He added that the party decided to file their candidacies all at the same time to show their unity.
“It’s just that everybody feels that it should be the date to submit our petition, nothing so special,” he said.
Around a hundred Covenant supporters joined the governor and the other candidates at the Commission’s office in Capital Hill.
The filing of petition started at 9:30 a.m. and officially received by the election officer at 10 a.m. outside the office. Each candidate accompanied by the party’s overall chairman and their respective precinct chairman submitted the petition.
After the filing, Inos said they considered all areas in CNMI as the stronghold of the Covenant because of our vision to help the people to protect self government, indigenous rights, utilize local resources to the best of our ability, and for the interest of all resident in the island and that’s what we subscribe to.”
He said they always make sure all people are taken cared of in any aspect, health, education, safety and the general welfare of the community as a whole.
Camacho said the unity among candidates, their supporters and families indicated the strength of the Covenant Party.
He said many supporters of former governor Juan N. Babauta who lost to the team of Rep. Heinz Hofschneider and Speaker Arnold Palacios during the GOP primary, have shifted to the Covenant Party.
The Covenant candidates who filed their candidacies for the House of Representatives are: Froilan C. Tenorio, Vicente C. Cabrera, Benjamin M. Cepeda, Canice K. Taitano and Antonio M. Tudela for precinct I House of Representatives; Raymond D. Palacios and Ralph S. Demapan for precinct II; Jesus M. Elameto, Henry K. Rabauliman, Edmund S. Villagomez, David R. Maratita, Felicidad T. Ogumoro for precinct III, Thomas J. Camacho, Sylvestre I Iguel for precinct IV; and Ramon S. Basa, Daniel Q. Quitugua for precinct V.
Ana S. Teregeyo and Labor Deputy Secretary Jacinta M. Kaipat are running as senatorial candidates. Jose P. San Nicolas for Tinian mayoral seat, Sen. Jose M. Mendioal and Joaquin H. Borja for Tinian Senatorial, and Rep. Edwin F. Aldan for Tinian House of Representatives; and Ramona Rebuenog for Northern Islands Mayoral.
