Taisacan to weigh legal options after Nov. 3 elections

Northern Islands Mayor Valentino N. Taisacan Jr. will wait until after the Nov. 3 general elections before deciding whether to pursue further legal action against challenger Keli A. Tenorio's candidacy following a Superior Court ruling affirming her eligibility to run.

Attorney Joseph E. Horey, who represents Taisacan, told Marianas Press last Oct. 28 that he spoke with the incumbent mayor earlier in the day and that Taisacan intends to hold off on further legal action until after the election.

Horey said Taisacan would "hold off on taking any further action until after, after the election and see, see what happens then."

Asked whether Taisacan might file an election protest or another lawsuit if he loses, Horey did not rule out the possibility.

"It's possible. It's possible," he said. "We've got to wait and see what happens with the election first, and then assess the situation anew at that time."

Horey emphasized that no decision has been made on further legal action.

"The focus right now is just winning the election," he said.

The attorney expressed disappointment over Associate Judge Lillian Ada Tenorio's Oct. 27 ruling affirming the Commonwealth Election Commission's certification of Keli Tenorio as a qualified candidate for Northern Islands mayor.

"I think it's not the right decision, but it's the one we're stuck with for now," Horey said.

The ruling rejected Taisacan's challenge to Tenorio's residency qualifications, which he argued did not satisfy the legal requirements for seeking the mayoral post.

In her eight-page order, Judge Tenorio found that the CEC did not act arbitrarily or capriciously when it certified Tenorio's candidacy and that its decision was supported by substantial evidence.

The judge cited Tenorio's more than 10 years as a registered Northern Islands voter without challenge, her history of living on Pagan, her application for a homestead through her husband, and her expressed intention to return to the island.

Taisacan challenged Tenorio's residency before the CEC in August. Following hearings, the election commission voted 4-1 on Aug. 28 to certify her candidacy.

The incumbent mayor subsequently sought judicial review, arguing that Tenorio had not established the domicile and residency necessary to qualify for office.

During oral arguments last Oct. 23, Horey maintained that the CEC placed too much emphasis on Tenorio's intention to return to the Northern Islands rather than whether she had first established residence there.

The court disagreed, finding sufficient evidence to support the CEC's certification.

Tenorio, meanwhile, welcomed the ruling, saying it ended weeks of uncertainty surrounding her candidacy. Her attorney, Michael Dotts, also praised the decision, saying voters would now be able to decide who should lead the Northern Islands.