Jailed Yona Mayor Jesse Blas has finally appointed 10 village residents to the Yona Municipal Planning Council.
Mayors Council of Guam Executive Director Angel Sablan said he received the completed appointment letters from Mayor Blas’ defense attorney Joseph Razzano this morning.
The Yona Municipal Planning Council should have been appointed three years ago when Blas was first elected said Sablan but Mayor Blas told him he could not find 10 members to sit on the council.
Sablan said the letters will now be sent to the individuals named and it’s up to them to decide whether or not they will accept their appointment to the MPC.
“It means that Yona has an MPC that can take action depending upon the outcome of the mayor’s case in trial. Now if he’s acquitted, then fine, everything’s OK. But if he’s convicted, then he’s removed as the Mayor of Yona. And this is where the MPC kicks in. They would have to select an individual from amongst the village of Yona and submit that name to the legislature for confirmation as acting mayor,” Sablan said.
Sablan said he could not name the 10 members who have been appointed until they confirm that they have accepted their appointments.
Mayor Blas has been in jail since September. He is facing federal extortion and bribery charges. His trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 4.
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