OVER 30 letters of support poured in for former lieutenant governor Timothy P. Villagomez, former Commerce secretary James A. Santos and his wife Joaquina Santos asking the federal court for leniency when they are sentenced next Tuesday in connection with their corruption conviction.
The letters and requests, which were submitted to the federal court since last month, came not only from Villagomez’s family, friends and relatives but also from other well regarded people in the community.
All of the supporters are asking United States District Court for the NMI presiding Judge Alex R. Munson to consider leniency because the defendants have families who need them.
In his one-page letter, former Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente said “Villagomez has been and remains a respectful and modest public servant in spite of the predicament he found himself in.”
Former CNMI governor Pedro P. Tenorio also showed his support. He asked the court to take into consideration the fact that the defendants are all good parents to their children and contribute their time and resources to the community.
“I humbly ask for leniency for the three defendants during the sentencing. They have endured much during this past year yet they remained loving and caring children to their ailing mothers,” he said.
Commonwealth Utilities Corporation’s first executive director Pedro Sasamoto stated in his letter that he truly believes Villagomez, also a former CUC director, had already suffered extensively for his action.
“He has lost credibility in the public eye and I believe that he is truly despondent regarding what he has put his family through,” Sasamoto said.
Former Department of Public Safety commissioner Claudio Norita also showed his support in asking Munson and the court for leniency.
“I truly feel that any leniency given by your court would help the family to start the healing process,” Norita said.
Diocese of Chalan Kanoa Bishop Tomas A. Camacho also attested to the three defendants having good moral character and generosity to the church.
“They have strived to live up to the Christian ideals of living out the Gospel message in their day-to-day living. They recognize their mistakes and they are keen on making conscious efforts to correct them. Overall, I see the goodness in their hearts despite their shortcomings,” Bishop Camacho said.
In her four-page letter, Villagomez’s wife Margaret said “Tim has been my best friend and partner for the past 10 years and has been a wonderful and supportive husband.”
She added that they have six children, four from a previous marriage. She said her two younger children are innocently unaware of what is happening with their father.
“I don’t know how any parent could find the strength to explain to their young children the logic of why their daddy will not be with them much longer, or that soon he may not be coming home at all,” Margaret said.
“On behalf of our children, I am asking for leniency when you sentence Tim. Please don’t take their father away from them as they don’t know a life without him. He is a good husband, a good man who is loved dearly and cherished by many,” Margaret appealed to Munson in her letter.
Villagomez’s nine-year-old son is also asking Munson not to send his father to jail.
“Please Judge Munson, all of us are sad because they are going to jail. We want them to stay with us so we can celebrate holidays, birthdays and we cannot do anything without them. Please give them probation,” Villagomez’s son wrote. He added a postscript “if you give them probation that would be the best thing that will ever happen to me.”
Villagomez’s 15-year-old nephew asked Munson to have mercy on his uncles and aunt.
“Please give them leniency on sentencing day. Please don’t take our families apart. It’s all in your hands,” Aldan said.
Villagomez’s ex-wife Alicia M. Fleming who had been married to him for seven years is also asking the court to sentence Villagomez to the least time possible because “the children will truly miss their father and it will cause devastation to the children.”
The other letters of support were from Rev. Fr. Charlie A. Borja,
