JGO Committee not done yet with probe on Torres

The House of Representatives Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee is not done yet with its investigation into Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ expenditures of public funds and travels as the committee has yet to call in Finance Secretary David DLG Atalig to testify.

In response to Saipan Tribune’s inquiry, JGO chair Rep. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan ) said yesterday that they still have an outstanding subpoena for Atalig.

Babauta said that Atalig had asked the committee to give him a few days to seek legal representation soon after being served the subpoena.

“We have not released him from the subpoena served on him,” Babauta said.

She said that commanding Atalig to testify this January is an option that is still open to the committee.

Atalig informed Babauta in a letter last Dec. 7 that his office received the subpoena last Dec. 3 when he was off-island. Atalig said he just returned last Dec. 7 to Saipan and need to reschedule the date of his testimony to allow him to obtain a lawyer and comply with the subpoena.

He said while he is beginning the process of getting an attorney approved by Attorney General Edward Manibusan, he believes this will take a day or two.

Atalig added that because of the CNMI government shutdown, he will have minimum staff to assist in gathering the documents requested by the JGO subpoena.

Atalig requested to reschedule any appearance before the JGO to Dec. 15, 2021, but the JGO did not hold a hearing on that date.

Last Dec. 14, the committee voted to hold Torres in contempt for not appearing before the committee.

Citing that the Executive Branch is a separate and equal branch of government under the Commonwealth Constitution, Torres announced about an hour before the JGO Committee meeting that day (Dec. 14 at 10:30am) that he will not be appearing before the committee.

Torres and the Office of the Governor then filed a lawsuit that day before the Superior Court against the committee.

Torres accused the committee of having a simple agenda of impeaching him.

Last Dec. 20, Babauta formally introduced House Resolution 22-14 impeaching Torres for alleged commission of felonies, corruption, and neglect of duty in violation of Article 3, Section 19 of the CNMI Constitution.