Previous Story
Tinian’s Mendiola is Senate president
|
Posted on Jan 09 2006
Sen. Joseph Mendiola assumed the leadership of the upper house yesterday after being chosen by his colleagues as the new Senate president during the chamber’s first session yesterday morning.
The election of the Upper House’s officers began after Supreme Court Chief Justice Miguel Demapan administered the oaths of the newly elected and re-elected senators: Mendiola, Pete P. Reyes, Paterno S. Hocog, Felix T. Mendiola, Jude Hofschneider, and Maria T. Pangelinan.
The chief justice also administered the oaths of incumbent senators Henry San Nicolas, Paul Manglona and Luis Crosostomo as they now perform their duties under the 15th Legislature.
Before the oath taking, Mendiola appointed members of a credentials committee—which reviewed the credentials of elected officials—headed by Covenant Party’s San Nicolas.
Nicolas reported out that all elected officials meet the constitutional requirements of their position.
The senators unanimously adopted the existing Senate rules as interim rules and began the election of officers. Former Republican Party member and now independent senator Pete Reyes aligned himself with the dominant Covenant Party and nominated Mendiola to become Senate president. Mendiola retained the post unopposed, with all nine Senate members favoring his retention.
Like Mendiola, the other candidates for officers ran unopposed and were voted unanimously by all Senate members. The other officers include Reyes, Senate vice president; Felix Mendiola, Senate floor leader; and Pangelinan, the Senate’s legislative secretary.
Dignitaries and community members witnessed the Senate’s first session for the year. Guam Gov. Felix Camacho, who witnessed the session, said his presence is a show of goodwill and partnership between Guam and the CNMI.
Also present at the Upper House chamber were Deputy Assistant Secretary for Interior David Cohen, Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio, and Palau lawmakers.
An open-house lunch followed at the Legislature’s Capitol Hill compound.
