Saipan — The Apatang administration and Acting Governor Dennis Mendiola have yet to make any public comment about the sudden termination of Department of Public Safety Commissioner Anthony I. Macaranas on Monday. As of this morning, Macaranas hasn’t been informed of any reason for termination, either.
On Monday morning, Mendiola said a statement would be issued later that afternoon following a proclamation signing, but no statement had been released as of Thursday, leaving the administration’s position and next steps unclear.
Additionally, all messaging from the governor’s office has gone silent since the firings, with neither Governor Apatang’s or Lieutenant Governor Mendiola’s media team issuing any information on any item, including Apatang’s current trip that took him to Washington, DC for the 902 talks and IGIA.
Macaranas served the community through the Department of Public Safety and worked his way up from a rookie out of the police academy in September of 1986 to his appointment as commissioner in January 2024.
The absence of any public explanation has intensified questions surrounding the decision, particularly given Macaranas’ long career in public safety and the immediate nature of his removal.
At the same time, the political backdrop continues to shift ahead of the 2026 election cycle. While no formal announcement has been made in that matter, the CNMI Republican Party has scrapped its primary, clearing the way for former Governor Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres to run for the top spot with Mendiola as his running mate.
NMI News Service will continue following the story and provide updates when a statement is issued or additional information becomes available.