Babauta appoints Cruz, Magofna to 2 committees

Celina R. Babauta, Corina L. Magofna and Francisco Q. Cruz

To fill the vacant seats left by Sen. Dennis C. Mendiola (R-Rota), who resigned from these positions, Sen. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) has appointed Sen. Francisco Q. Cruz (R-Tinian) as a member of the Judiciary, Government and Law Committee, and Sen. Corina L. Magofna (Ind-Saipan) as a member of the Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations Committee. Babauta chairs the two committees.

In her memorandum to Senate President Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) last Friday, Babauta said that Cruz’s appointment to the JGL Committee is pending his acceptance, while Magofna has already expressed willingness to serve on the EAGI Committee.

Mendiola resigned from both committees last July 17 after noting that Tinian has no representation on the two committees. The other members of the committees are Sens. Donald M. Manglona (Ind-Rota) and Paul A. Manglona (Ind-Rota).

In his letter to Babauta, Mendiola said he is advocating for equal representation among the senatorial districts within the CNMI.

Last Wednesday, July 19, Babauta wrote a memorandum to Tinian Legislative Delegation chair Sen. Karl R. King-Nabors (R-Tinian), informing King-Nabors that, should Cruz accept, she is appointing him to replace and fill the vacant seat left by Mendiola’s resignation on the JGL Committee.

She said she expressed her “unconditional sincerity” in a meeting with Cruz last April 10 to have Tinian lawmakers members participate in any of the EAGI or JGL committees’ official meetings.

Babauta said the fact that DeLeon Guerrero, who is not a member of the two committees, has voluntarily participated in official committee meetings on numerous occasions, demonstrates this openness.

“This has been a custom and traditional practice since my days in the 22nd House of Representatives and I continue to extend that open practice with the 23rd NMI Senate,” she said.

Since that April meeting with Cruz, Babauta said, none of the TLD members have expressed any concerns to her regarding their participation in committee meetings, nor have they participated in any of the EAGI or JGL committee meetings.

The senator vowed to continue to extend an open invitation to member of the TLD to participate in any official committee meetings conducted by the two committees.

She said the input from Tinian is of vital importance to the committees and, most especially the CNMI, should TLD members choose to participate.