“However, we will focus also on the financial position of the municipal government,” he told the Variety.
Dela Cruz said the municipal coffers are bleeding as he encouraged current employees to continue serving the community.
He said change is necessary because “the community has been suffering for a long time.”
When asked what he did the morning after the elections, Dela Cruz said he visited his parents’ tomb and heard Mass at San Jose church.
“I could not sleep because there were many calls coming in,” the former senator said.
Early voters
Voters and supporters of the candidates headed to Tinian Elementary School as early as 7 a.m. on Saturday.
Covenant and Republican supporters, which held their final rallies held the night before, were already setting up their Election Day camps before 7 a.m.
The Covenant supporters gathered near the school.
We were setting up since last night,” said Ray Cing, Tinian Covenant Party chairman. “We are still up and still going.”
The Republican camp was in front of the school near a parking lot.
“We were here at 6:45 a.m.,” Dela Cruz said.
The Republican supporters were later asked to leave their camp site before the school gates opened, but they refused.
“We have the right to assemble in a public place. I want the Covenant Party to know that because I think they forgot about it,” said Bernardita San Nicolas, a Republican supporter.
She said a police officer told them that the rules require a party’s camp site to be at least 300 feet from the polling place.
“The police told us to move,” Dela Cruz said. “The incumbent mayor is trying to push us. We are going to stand our ground.”
The Covenant Party filed a complaint but the GOP supporters didn’t leave their camp site until the last voter left the school.
Orderly election
Two lines were formed outside the school, one for each party, and the gates were opened at around 7:05 a.m.
Juan Dela Cruz Shai was one of the first voters who cast their ballots.
A retired police officer, he supported the Covenant party.
“I was here at about 7 a.m. but the gate has not been opened yet,” he said.
Supporters of both parties were seen using binoculars to monitor the people approaching the candidates’ camps before going to the polling center.
The police and firefighters were on alert and a fire truck was parked near the school premises.
The water hose from the fire truck was used in past elections to separate the “heated” supporters of the rival parties.
By 8 a.m., 100 individuals had already voted — 365 by 11 a.m. and 910 by the time the polls closed at 7 p.m.
Supporters of the candidates then headed to their headquarters to wait for the results.
Fil-Ams
Most of the Filipino-Americans interviewed by the Variety said they were supporting the Republican Party.
Among them was Fausto Supnet.
“Tatang” Supnet, 87, as he is fondly called by everyone in the community, was accompanied by Vicky Sablan who has lived here for 30 years.
She is the public relations officer of the United Filipino Association on Tinian.
“I believe in the Republican Party,” she said.
Mary Susan Cruz, a businesswoman, said during election time, parties ask for their support.
“After the election time, they neglect us,” she said. “But I believe that all of the Republican leaders are professional.”
She said they supported the GOP because they felt the warmth, acceptance and acknowledgement from its leaders.
Great job
Observers from the Attorney General’s Office lauded the successful elections here, saying the “police, fire and election commission did a great job, and the candidates’ supporters were also cooperative.”
Dela Cruz commended the integrity and professionalism of the Department of Public Safety.
“DPS Tinian was threatened that they will be replaced on Election Day if they will not follow the mayor’s instructions,” Dela Cruz told the Variety.
From Thursday to Sunday, all DPS fire and police officers’ leaves were cancelled as they monitored the activities of both camp to ensure peace and order.
DPS central and CNMI Marshals augmented the local police force here during the election weekend.
