REFALUWASCH for Good Governance on Saturday officially endorsed the independent gubernatorial candidacy of Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, his running mate, Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, and the rest of the AD 2022 slate.
RGG President Felix Nogis said their group comprises the majority of the Refaluwasch families in the CNMI which includes the clans of Nogis, Rasiang, Mareham, Tebuteb, Angailen, Fitial, Olopai “and many more.” There are other Refaluwasch who support the other parties, “but we just have to respect them, as it’s their right,” Nogis said.
The Refaluwasch group formally pledged their support for the AD 2022 Team in a gathering Saturday at the 13 Fishermen Pavilion on Beach Road.
Joining them were Palacios, Apatang, AD 2022 senatorial candidate Rep. Corina Magofna, Saipan mayoral candidate Ramon “RB” Blas Camacho, Precinct 3 House candidates Delbert Pua and Marissa Renee Flores. Also attending the gathering were former Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, former Senate President Pete P. Reyes, former Speaker Pedro “Paduna” R. Deleon Guerrero and RGG vice president Louie Tilipao.
Nogis said aside from the Refaluwasch clans on Saipan, those with RGG include the “disgruntled” Republicans who are not satisfied with the present administration.”
He said they formed their own group so instead of having a party affiliation, they can support any candidate who has the right credentials and can stand up for the interest of the people.
Article 12
Aside from their aspiration for good governance, Nogis said the other main issue that led them to support the AD 2022 team is the position of Palacios and Apatang on the issue of Article 12, which is a very important issue not only to the Refaluwasch but to the entire local community of the CNMI.
“We want someone to support Article 12, candidates who want to maintain Article 12 without any amendment,” Nogis said.
Article 12 of the CNMI Constitution limits land ownership in the Commonwealth to persons of Northern Marianas descent or NMD.
Nogis said Palacios and Apatang have made clear their stand on Article 12 — that it should be maintained. “Just leave it as it is,” Nogis added.
He reiterated that Article 12 “is a very important issue for us in deciding who we want to put in as governor. We have discussed it with the lt. governor and the mayor, and they vowed their firm commitment and that is why we made a final decision to support their candidacies.”
AD 2022 all the way
Former Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Tom Tebuteb, a member of Refaluwasch for Good Governance and an AD supporter, said he was honored to be among “honorable men.”
He said Palacios and Apatang will bring back trust in the government.
“I am very confident about the support for our group. We are a good group, and we are going to bring the trust that is lost at the moment. That is the reason why we stand together to ensure that we strengthen our government. Employees should not be scared to exercise their right to vote. AD all the way!” Tebuteb said.
AD 2022 campaign chairman, former Speaker Oscar M. Babauta, thanked the officers and members of RGG. “We embrace and we welcome your support. Thank you. Biba Refaluwasch!” he said.
Good governance
Palacios thanked the RGG saying he was very happy and excited that he and Apatang were given an opportunity to sit down with the group and express their thoughts and share their vision.
He said that as early as October last year, he had already mentioned that he and Apatang would also carry the vision of good governance which had been advocated by RGG for the past two years prior and leading up to the midterm election in 2020. And that was the reason, he said, that new faces in the Legislature were elected to office.
“I continue to thank them for being community activists who are bringing up issues, the very basic issues [pertaining to] where we are at today,” Palacios said.
He said the RGG it is actually the people of the Commonwealth for good governance.
“We embrace this. Why? Because we see every day… in the [news]paper…the latest…crises… staring at us today. It is an issue when a civil service employee could be intimated and bullied out of his position. And that is where we are at today,” Palacios said as he thanked former Customs and Biosecurity Director Jose Mafnas for “standing up to this bullying.”
“I will pray for your success, and we are confident that you will succeed,” Palacios said, referring to the lawsuit filed by Mafnas.
In essence, Palacios said, “that is one of the issues that RGG has been advocating because they see the failures of not just this present administration but also of the leaders in the community who have almost ignored some of the basic fundamentals of good government….”
“This is a small community,” Palacios said. “But we have already exhausted or misused public funds and [there is], I hate to say this, corruption. But that is where we are.”
Apatang, for his part, thanked his friends in RGG.
“I am overjoyed [that they] joined us. They are also like my family. I am very grateful that they decided to join our team. Their motto is good governance and that is what we are. We want to turn this government around, to rebuild trust in this government and take care of our people in this Commonwealth,” Apatang said.
Independent gubernatorial candidate, Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, his wife, Wella, and his running mate, Saipan Mayor David Apatang, fourth right back row, pose for a photo with members and officers of the Refaluwasch for Good Governance and the rest of the AD 2022 team at the 13 Fishermen Pavilion on Saturday.
Refaluwasch for Good Governance President Felix Nogis speaks as independent candidate for lt. governor, Saipan Mayor David Apatang, listens during a gathering at the 13 Fishermen Pavilion on Saturday to endorse the AD 2022 team.
