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‘Baka legally holding post as AG’
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Posted on Jan 14 2009
After conferring with the Attorney General’s Office, press secretary Charles Reyes said Attorney General Greg Baka is legally holding the position.
Rep. Rosemond B. Santos wrote a letter this week to Gov. Benigno Fitial, stating Baka is violating the law because he has not been confirmed by the Legislature within 30 days of his appointment. Baka has held the position of Attorney General since Sept. 27, 2008, when Matthew Gregory stepped down.
“It has been more than 30 days since Mr. Baka’s temporary appointment as Acting Attorney General and such appointment has not been forwarded to the Legislature. As a result, Mr. Baka’s appointment is in violation of existing law,” Santos wrote. But Reyes said Baka’s case doesn’t apply because he was not appointed, he assumed the position automatically as he was previously Deputy Attorney General.
“The law clearly states someone appointed,” he said. “The AGO is charged with following the law, and they are not violating the law.”
Reyes said there are no plans to change Baka’s position because it is functioning well. “[Baka] seems to be doing a good job at keeping things working smoothly,” he said.
The AG’s Office is currently understaffed and the priority is to hire more attorneys, the press secretary said.
