Torres says he is confident in CNMI Senate’s fairness

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres is confident in the CNMI Senate’s ability to be fair in case the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives impeaches him.

Speaking during a radio press briefing last Thursday, Torres is assured that the Senate will conduct itself in a fair manner, which he said is all that he has been asking from the Legislature.

The fact that Rep. Christina E. Sablan’s (D-Saipan), who is a candidate in this year’s gubernatorial election, is included in the House Special Investigating Committee on Impeachment “says it all,” he added. Torres said he is sure that Sablan will vote for his impeachment as she had stated that position openly, because that means one less candidate for governor to run against her.

Torres is running for re-election under the NMI Republican Party for the November 2022 gubernatorial election. Sablan is the NMI Democratic Party’s candidate for governor.

Gilbert Birnbrich, who is the counsel for the Office of the Governor, recently requested House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez (Ind-Saipan) that the Special Committee on Impeachment not include Sablan as she has already announced her intent to run as governor.

Birnbrich said given the significance of the potential removal of a governor who has been elected by the people of the CNMI, such a committee and the procedures by which it operates should be above reproach.

Despite Birnbrich’s request, Villagomez appointed Sablan as one of the nine-member Special Investigating Committee on Impeachment.

Sablan has already said she is not going to recuse herself from the committee and that she intends to vote to impeach Torres.

Torres said Thursday that he is sure that the Senate will give him a fair opportunity to explain any and all of these issues brought up against him. This was the governor’s response to a request for comment whether Sen. Vinnie Vinson F. Sablan’s (R-Saipan), who is his running mate as lieutenant governor, should recuse himself in case the House impeaches him and the Senate holds a trial.

Torres said he is sure that the senators will look into this conflict of interest issue and act appropriately.

“And that I can assure you, I have every confidence that they’ll take that every angle into consideration and give me that opportunity of fairness,” he said.

The governor had earlier conceded that the House has the numbers to impeach him.

Torres will be impeached if at least 14 of 20 House representatives vote to adopt the resolution. If the governor is impeached by the House, the nine-seat Republican-controlled Senate will then hold a trial. If six senators vote for his conviction, Torres will be removed from office.

House Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee chair Rep. Celina R. Babauta has already introduced House Resolution 22-14 impeaching Torres for alleged commission of felonies, corruption, and neglect of duty in violation of Article 3, Section 19 of the CNMI Constitution.

The House’s Special Investigating Committee chaired by Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan T. Attao (R-Saipan) will hold its first meeting tomorrow, Tuesday. Attao is supporting Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios’ intent to run as governor.