Torres mum on impeachment talks

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres would not comment on impeachment talks that are making the rounds on social media and despite a member of the House of Representatives already voicing an opinion on the matter.

Torres, who was attending an event in Chalan Kanoa last Friday afternoon, did not respond when asked if he wanted to comment on possible impeachment talks against his administration.

The House minority bloc has yet to issue a unified statement about the matter.

In an interview last week, House minority leader Rep. Edwin K. Propst (Ind-Saipan) told Saipan Tribune that he is looking to meet with members of the House minority—Reps. Sheila Babauta (Ind-Saipan), Tina Sablan (Ind-Saipan), Donald Manglona (Ind-Rota), and Edmund Villagomez (Ind-Saipan)—so they could come up with the minority bloc’s position on the issue.

“I am still working with the minority members in coming up with a unified statement to address these concerns,” he said. He noted previously that two members of the House minority were off-island at the time.

He noted, though, that one House minority bloc member’s statement is not representative of the whole bloc.

Sablan noted in a previous interview that the Legislature has the authority to investigate other branches of the government—including the Executive Branch—as provided by the CNMI Constitution.

“Any impeachment process, should we come to that, would be separate from the criminal process, though evidence that is presented in criminal proceeding may be examined by the Legislature as well,” she had said.

Torres’ chief of staff, Angel Demapan, later described her statement as “political posturing” and that any talks of impeachment would be “self-aggrandizing.”

Saipan Tribune also reached out to House Speaker Blas “B.J.” Jonathan Attao (R-Saipan) for comments but he, too, declined. House vice speaker Rep. Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero (R-Saipan), when approached, noted that he would be more comfortable having an opinion on the matter after the federal investigation concludes.

“I don’t think we should be talking about [impeachment],” he told Saipan Tribune previously. “It is all allegations and nothing is founded. There are no grounds at this point. It is very premature.”

“We must let the process go through. Let the judicial system go through. It’s only an investigation and nothing has been proven,” he added.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation executed search warrants all over Saipan last Nov. 7, 2019 through Nov. 8, 2019, including at the Office of the Governor and an office of Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC and several other offices.