Ricardo Bordallo

Ricardo J. Bordallo
Born	Ricardo Jerome Bordallo (1927-12-11) 11 December 1927 Hagåtña, Guam
Died	31 January 1990(1990-01-31) (aged 62) Hagåtña, Guam
Other names	Ricky Bordallo
Occupation(s)	Politician, entrepreneur
Years active	1957–1987
Known for	Governor of Guam (1975–1979, 1983–1987)

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Ricardo Jerome "Ricky" Bordallo (Template:IPAc-en; December 11, 1927 – January 31, 1990) was an American political figure and entrepreneur who held the office of Governor of Guam twice, serving as the territory's second and fourth governor. His initial term spanned from 1975 to 1979 alongside Lieutenant Governor Rudy Sablan, and he returned for a second term from 1983 to 1987 with Lieutenant Governor Edward Diego Reyes. A dedicated member of the Democratic Party of Guam, Bordallo's political career also included a lengthy tenure as a Senator in the Guam Legislature from 1957 until 1971.

Early life

Born on December 11, 1927, in Hagåtña, Guam, Bordallo was the eldest son of Baltazar Jeronimo "BJ" Bordallo (August 8, 1900 – May 10, 1984), a businessman and influential politician active from the 1930s through the 1950s, and Josefina Torres Pangelinan (December 18, 1904 – December 2, 1945). He had a younger brother, Paul Joseph Bordallo (1930–2007), who also served as a senator. After completing his education at the University of San Francisco, Bordallo returned to Guam where he established himself as a prosperous entrepreneur and automobile dealer. Among his ventures was ownership of "Ricky's Suburban Club," a combined restaurant and bar located in Tamuning, Guam. In addition, he founded "Ricky's Auto Company" during the mid-1950s, becoming the first American dealer for Toyota vehicles.

Personal life

In 1953, Bordallo married Madeleine Zeien; the couple had one daughter named Deborah and one grandchild, Nicole Nelson. Following Bordallo’s death, his widow pursued gubernatorial office unsuccessfully in 1990. She later held the position of Lieutenant Governor of Guam from 1995 until 2003 and served as Guam’s Delegate to the United States House of Representatives from 2003 until she was defeated in the renomination process during the 2018 election.

Senator in the Guam Legislature

Bordallo entered the Guam Legislature in 1956 as a representative of the Popular Party, which later evolved into the Democratic Party of Guam. He held a seat in the territorial legislature from 1957 until 1970 and served two terms as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Guam. During his tenure as senator, he was responsible for introducing legislation that established the position of an unofficial delegate from Guam to the U.S. Congress.

1970 Bordallo-Taitano Gubernatorial Campaign

In 1970, Bordallo made his initial bid for the governorship during the first election allowing Guam’s citizens to elect their governor directly. He partnered with Senator Richard "Dick" Taitano and competed against two other former gubernatorial pairs: ex-governor Manuel Guerrero with running mate Dr. Antonio C. (Tony) Yamashita, and attorney/former speaker Joaquin C. "Kin" Arriola alongside retired judge and former senator Vicente Bamba. Bordallo-Taitano narrowly led the primary election over Guerrero-Yamashita and secured victory in the runoff. Nevertheless, they were defeated in the general election by the incumbent Republican duo Carlos G. Camacho and Kurt S. Moylan. Despite this loss, Bordallo and Taitano’s campaign was notable for establishing Guam’s inaugural grassroots political network across local villages.

1974 Bordallo-Sablan Gubernatorial Campaign

Madeleine Bordallo, Bordallo’s wife, emerged as a dedicated and energetic campaigner who attracted numerous supporters to their political movement. This growing base would be instrumental when Bordallo pursued the governorship again in 1974. Madeleine was also recognized for her humanitarian work, including sponsoring cultural initiatives such as the Guam Symphony and a Suzuki violin instruction program for children.

In his second gubernatorial run, Bordallo joined forces with Rudolph "Rudy" Guerrero Sablan. They faced competition from four other Democratic tickets: Manuel Guerrero with David D.L. Flores; Pedro C. Sanchez paired with Esteban U. Torres; and Joaquin C. "Kin" Arriola alongside Theodore "Ted" Nelson. Dick Taitano managed the Bordallo-Sablan campaign, expanding on the organizational groundwork laid in 1970. This robust network played a critical role in their decisive victory over fellow Democrats.

Following their primary success, Bordallo-Sablan triumphed over the Republican ticket of Camacho-Moylan, who had narrowly defeated Paul Calvo and Antonio Palomo in their primary race. Calvo entered the general election as a write-in candidate, siphoning votes from Camacho-Moylan, which contributed to Bordallo-Sablan’s narrow win by fewer than 600 votes out of more than 22,000 cast.

Initial Term 1975–1979

Bordallo's inaugural term, spanning from 1975 to 1979, was marked by considerable controversy. He was known for his strong charisma coupled with a polarizing presence. Bordallo was recognized for openly expressing his opinions on various matters without hesitation. During this period, the electorate was presented with the choice between independence, statehood, commonwealth status, or maintaining the existing U.S. territorial arrangement. His brother, Senator Paul Bordallo, advocated for independence. Ultimately, voters opted to preserve Guam's status as a dependent territory. Bordallo successfully obtained $367 million allocated for typhoon recovery efforts, capital improvement initiatives, and governmental investments. Additionally, funding was secured for enhancements at Guam Memorial Hospital.

Bordallo-Sanchez Gubernatorial Campaign (1978)

In 1978, Bordallo sought re-election alongside Dr. Pedro C. Sanchez, a former University of Guam president, as his candidate for lieutenant governor. Lieutenant Governor Sablan also entered the gubernatorial race and competed in the September 1978 Democratic primary with attorney Jose Iglesias Leon Guerrero as his running mate. Bordallo emerged victorious in the Democratic primary, surpassing the Sablan-Leon Guerrero ticket in votes. Despite this success, Bordallo was defeated in the general election by the Republican team of Calvo and Ada.

Bordallo-Reyes Gubernatorial Campaign (1982)

In 1982, Bordallo returned to the political scene with Air Force Colonel Edward Diego Reyes, a political newcomer, as his lieutenant governor candidate. He secured the Democratic nomination by defeating contenders Carl Gutierrez and John P. Aguon and won the governorship once more. The Bordallo/Reyes campaign pledged to lead Guam out of recession and advocate for commonwealth status, ultimately prevailing over incumbent Governor Calvo in the election.

Second Term 1983–1987

During his second term from 1983 to 1987, Bordallo served as chair of the Commission for Self-Determination and played a pivotal role in drafting the Guam Commonwealth Act by June 4, 1986. He tackled educational challenges through his 1983 initiative titled "Blueprint for Excellence" and worked toward securing accreditation for the University of Guam. On January 20, 1985, he visited Washington, D.C., accompanied by Congressman Ben Blaz at the Officers Club near Andrews Air Force Base.

Bordallo-Reyes Gubernatorial Campaign (1986)

Bordallo pursued re-election with Lt. Gov Edward D. Reyes continuing as his running mate. They secured the Democratic nomination by defeating Senator Gutierrez and Senator John P. Aguon in the primary election. However, in the general election, Bordallo was defeated by former Lieutenant Governor Ada and Senator Frank F. Blas.

Legal Conviction

In February 1987, Bordallo was found guilty on ten counts related to corruption charges and received a sentence of nine years imprisonment along with fines exceeding $100,000. The allegations involved accepting bribes and extortion amounting to over $100,000 linked to favors granted during his tenure in exchange for campaign donations. In August 1988, convictions on eight bribery and extortion charges were overturned, leaving only obstruction of justice and witness tampering accusations intact. Subsequently, on December 13, 1989, he was sentenced to four years in prison based on these remaining charges.

Suicide

Following the denial of his appeal by the U.S. Supreme Court, Bordallo was set to begin serving a four-year term at a federal minimum-security prison starting February 1, 1990. Mere hours before his scheduled transfer to a correctional facility in Boron, California, on January 31, 1990, the ex-Governor took his own life in Hagåtña, Guam. He wrapped himself in the Guam flag and secured himself with chains to the statue of Chief Kepuha—also known as Quipuha, the island’s first indigenous chief to embrace Roman Catholicism—situated along Marine Corps Drive, Guam's main highway. Bordallo then fatally shot himself in the head with a .38 caliber handgun. Around the monument, he positioned four signs, one of which echoed Nathan Hale’s famous last words: "I regret that I only have one life to give to my island."

He succumbed to extensive brain trauma at 4:28 P.M. at the Naval Hospital at the age of 62. His final resting place is Pigo Cemetery in western Hagåtña.

Honors

In January 1997, the government complex of the territory was formally designated as the Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor's Complex to commemorate his legacy.

External links

• Biography of Ricardo Bordallo on Guampedia, Guam's Digital Encyclopedia

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