Pai officially begins second term as NMI public auditor

The House of Representatives went ahead and confirmed Michael Pai’s re-appointment as public auditor yesterday in a unanimous vote of 17-0, with three absences. This new appointment is for another six-year term.

Michael Pai has his picture taken with members of the House of Representatives after they conformed his re-appointment as public auditor yesterday. (Mark Rabago)

House Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) said the governor’s appointments normally go through the lower chamber’s Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee. However, in Pai’s case, House members just went ahead with the confirmation because of the nominee’s excellent track record and Pai being a reappointee.

All House members present voted to confirm the soft-spoken Pai, with the three absences being Vice Speaker Francisco Dela Cruz (Ind-Saipan) and Reps. Trenton Conner (Ind-Tinian) and Anthony Benavente (Ind-Saipan).

Pai, who was also unanimously confirmed by the Senate last week, said he is humbled by the House’s trust and confident in him.

“Serving as the CNMI public auditor is the biggest honor and highlight of my career and I want to thank the governor, the Legislature, and the community of the CNMI for their confidence and support.”

House members each spoke briefly in their support of Pai’s reappointment. Deleon Guerrero said Pai “is well respected in his field, has diligently performed his duties, and has the respect of his subordinates.”

JGO Committee chair Christopher Leon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) said he has no problem that Pai’s reappointment skipped his committee because all members already know “pertinent information” about the appointee and that he, too, supports the nomination.

Rep. Teresita Santos (R-Rota) said she knows Pai as a man of integrity, does his job excellently, and that she supports his reappointment.

Rep. Ramon Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan) successfully lobbied for the House to include the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigation’s report on Pai’s re-appointment for record purposes.

The vote for Pai’s re-appointment as public was originally 16-0 with five absences, but Leon Guerrero, who left the session briefly, asked his colleagues to allow him to vote and all acceded to the request.

When asked what programs and initiatives he will be implementing in his second term, Pai said his office will essentially be business as usual in the short term.

“We have some ongoing court cases that we have to take care of. Procurement appeals will also be coming in. …We’re in the process of making our plans for the next six years in the audit department but nothing more specific yet. It’s just been business as usual as we’re continuing with our projects so far,” he said.

Some of the high-profile cases Pai alluded to were the ones filed by OPA against former governor Benigno R. Fitial and former Office on Aging director Rose DLG. Mondala.

Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman last Nov. 6 dismissed the criminal charges against Fitial, ruling that OPA has no authority to file the charges against Fitial, now a private citizen.

Last Sept. 10, the Superior Court also dismissed the case against Mondala, ruling that the appointment of Hasselback as a special assistant attorney general in the case violates the separation of powers doctrine.

OPA has already filed a motion for reconsideration of Wiseman’s decision on the Fitial case, while Pai believes his office will also ask for a reconsideration in the Mondala case.