Babauta agrees to vacate office in 15 days

CNMI Representative to Washington Juan N. Babauta will vacate his office in 15 days and move to the official residence of House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial in Capitol Hill.

This was the agreement entered into by both Mr. Babauta and Mr. Fitial during a hearing before the Superior Court on the motion of the Washington Representative to stop the relocation of his office.

Superior Court Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama expressed satisfaction on the agreement signed by both parties as the court seem to find it hard to make a ruling on what it considered a political issue. In fact, Mr. Lizama expressed surprised why both parties have to bring the issue to court only to come up with a compromise.

While he acknowledged that it was difficult for Mr. Babauta to leave his current office at the Legislature since he has stayed there for a long time, Judge Lizama noted that the Washington Representative no longer has any right to occupy the space there since the House of Representative now needs the building.

At one point, Judge Lizama said Mr. Babauta should have at least secured a place he can call his own. “I know it will save the government a lot of money but then isn’t it no longer right for you to continue staying there when the Legislature needs the building,? ” Judge Lizama said.

Lawyer John M. Chambers argued that the Speaker has no authority to evict Mr. Babauta from the current office which he has occupied for the past 10 years.

In fact, Mr. Babauta has spent his own funds amounting to $30,000 to renovate the space at the Legislature building and has subsequently paid additional sums to maintain and repair the office since this has been damaged by previous typhoon. At the same time, Mr. Chamber said the Legislative Bureau Director has the sole authority over the building.

House legal counsel Steve Mackenzie argued that no irreparable damage has been done to Mr. Babauta since he was informed as early as January 31, 2000 that he would have to transfer to another place. He said Mr. Babauta did not expend his own money to renovate his own office because those were public funds.

“I feel great now that we have an understanding that is based on mutual respect. I agree with the Washington Representative that he should have his own office. In fact, his new office will be big enough to accommodate his supporters,” Mr. Fitial said.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Mr. Babauta seeking to stop Mr. Fitial from relocating him outside the legislative buildings on grounds that he has no right to do so.

The space occupied by Mr. Babauta has been assigned by the House leadership for use by the Rep. Martin B. Ada, who has been sharing an office with Rep. David M. Apatang since their inaugural last January.