7 lawmakers with perfect session attendance in 2013

Seven lawmakers attended all regular and special legislative sessions in 2013, but some with a few absences said getting involved in actual deliberations and voting with their conscience during the sessions they were present makes up for the few sessions they missed.

In the 20-member House of Representatives, four had perfect attendance: Reps. Roman Benavente (Ind-Saipan), George Camacho (R-Saipan), Antonio Sablan (Ind-Saipan) and Mario Taitano (Ind-Saipan). They attended all 28 regular and special sessions.

“Attending sessions is very important. It is where decisions affecting our people are made. So we try to be there for the people we represent. There are always valid reasons for missing a session, be it illness or other official matters. However, we should always try to prioritize attending sessions,” Camacho told Saipan Tribune.

Among House members, Rep. Ralph Yumul (Ind-Saipan) had the most number of absences marked “excused” at six, based on House records.

Yumul said last night he had back surgery in July. He said having the most number of absences does not make anyone less effective as a lawmaker. Yumul actively participates in issue and bill deliberations during sessions.

He was followed by Reps. Felicidad Ogumoro (R-Saipan) and Janet Maratita (Ind-Saipan) with four “excused” absences each.

Reps. Teresita Santos (R-Rota) and Richard Seman (R-Saipan) had three “excused” absences each.

The rest had either one or two absences from January to December 2013. Many of those with absences in the House went off-island for official and personal reasons.

In the nine-member Senate, three had perfect attendance: Sen. Francisco Borja (Ind-Tinian), Senate vice president Victor Hocog (R-Rota), and Sen. Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota). Manglona, however, was sworn in only in November to fill a vacancy, but nevertheless attended all the sessions since then. Borja and Hocog attended all 29 regular and special Senate sessions.

Senate President Ralph Torres (R-Saipan) and Sen. Jovita Taimanao (Ind-Rota) had the most number of absences at three each.

Torres said last night that not having a perfect attendance does not make anyone less of a lawmaker. He said in his case, the sessions he missed were “emergency” ones “to address issues that were needed while I was away attending to personal matters.”

Sen. Frank Cruz (R-Tinian) had two excused absences toward the end of 2013.

Former senator Juan M. Ayuyu did not attend any session from January 2013 up to the time he resigned effective Oct. 1, while waiting for sentencing in connection with smuggling endangered fruit bats from Rota to Saipan.

Moreover, former Senate president Jude U. Hofschneider attended all first four sessions of 2013 until he ascended to become lieutenant governor on Feb. 20 when former governor Benigno R. Fitial resigned just before his impeachment trial at the Senate. Former lieutenant governor Eloy S. Inos became governor that same day.

Sen. Joaquin Borja (Ind-Tinian), meanwhile, was sworn in as a senator only in March, to fill the vacancy left by Hofschneider. Nevertheless, he attended 22 of 23 sessions since he was sworn in.