Flores’ absence at session triggers debate

The absence of Rep. Joseph A. Flores (Ind-Saipan) from the House of Representatives’ Tuesday session, during which his bill was the only measure on the calendar for action, triggered debate among some lawmakers over the actions being taken on the bill.

At the session, House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez (Ind-Saipan) announced that they have only one bill on the calendar, but they will be leaving it on the calendar at the request of the author, Flores. After much tug of war among the lawmakers, Villagomez put his foot down and stood firm on his ruling to leave the bill on calendar.

Joseph Flores

House Bill 22-3 seeks to amend the Commonwealth Code by requiring the motor vehicle liability insurance to expire at the same time as the vehicle registration expiration.

The debate got started after House JGO Committee chair Rep. Celina R. Babauta took issue with the decision to not act on the bill during the session, saying she specifically came to the session to vote for this bill at the request of the author. “The fact that the author has prioritized a softball game over his duties here at the Legislature is not my concern,” Babauta said.

She said she is ready to vote on the bill and that she would like to hear from House floor leader Ralph N. Yumul (R-Saipan) why it has been deferred. “And really why should we delay the inevitable of this bill?” Babauta said.

She also took issue with Flores earlier requesting for the bill to be yanked out of the JGO Committee and criticized Yumul for not asking her or letting her know that the bill will be yanked out of the committee.

“So we’re attacking the author of the bill and we’re questioning the authority of the floor leader. Wow!” said Rep. John Paul Sablan (R-Saipan).

Celina R. Babauta

Earlier, he stated that it is a practice in the House that the author be given respect to be present to vote on his/her bill.

Rep. Christina E. Sablan (D-Saipan) said they respect the Speaker’s and the floor leader’s call to table the bill until the next session but Flores’ reasoning for pulling the bill out of the JGO Committee in the first place was because it was urgent, yet despite the bill now on calendar, his being not there to vote only underscores the bill’s lack of urgency.

Besides Flores, Reps. Jonathan Blas Jonathan T. Attao and Joel C. Camacho, were also absent at the session. Villagomez said they’re excused.