‘Torreses’ travel to Montana cost govt $24,297’

House Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee chair Rep. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) is in a huddle with some committee members during a power outage that briefly delayed the testimony of Department of Finance’s finance and accounting director Bernadita C. Palacios. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and first lady Diann Torres traveled on business or first class during the governor’s official trip to Montana—with a stop in Oregon and Idaho—on June 23 to July 2, 2017, and that costs the government a total of $24,297.

Rep. Christina E. Sablan (D-Saipan) presented documents about the 2017 trip as Department of Finance’s finance and accounting director Bernadita C. Palacios appeared before the House Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee last Tuesday. The committee, chaired by Rep. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) is investigating the Torreses’ expenditures and travels.

Palacios agreed with Sablan that, based on the documents, the total cost to the government for this trip alone was $24,297, inclusive of stipend, and airfare for the Torres couple.

Sablan showed Palacios a travel authorization that indicates that Torres and his wife were traveling to Montana, and stopping in Portland, Oregon, and Boise, Idaho on or about June 23, 2017 to July 2, 2017. The travel authorization was dated June 19, 2017.

Palacios said the travel voucher indicated that the governor and first lady made personal stops in Boise, Idaho.

Sablan said the travel authorization indicates that the purpose of this trip was to meet with officials of U.S. Fish and Wildlife on the Mariana Trench National Monument in Portland, Oregon, and to attend the 2017 Western Governors’ Association in Whitefish, Montana. The travel authorization also notes that “travel will be performed in the best interest of the CNMI.”

Palacios agreed with Sablan that, based on the airline itinerary and boarding passes, the governor and first lady both traveled on first or business class and that the total cost of airfare was $23,302, or $11,651 each. Palacios said there was no trip report submitted.

The director said she is not aware of any public purpose for the first lady participating in this trip.

Palacios identified one document showed by Sablan as an invitation attached to the Western Governors Association meeting, and the confirmation page for the governor’s registration.

Palacios agreed with Sablan that she does not see any supporting documents for Torres meeting with U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials in Oregon.

Palacios said that, according to the travel voucher presented, the governor and the first lady spent about two days in Oregon, on June 23 to 25, 2017.

“But we don’t actually know if there was a meeting with U.S Fish and Wildlife or any official government business conducted during this trip because there is no trip report?” Sablan asked, to which Palacios agreed.

Sablan said Torres also received a stipend in this trip for $199 a day, for a total of $995 for five days.

Palacios said that stipend, which is less than per diem, covers the same thing as a per diem: lodging, room, meal, and other things. Palacos said an official gets a stipend while on government travel, and could be later reimbursed for itemized expenditures if he or she is hosting others.

Sablan stated that if the governor received a stipend, that should have been enough to cover lodging and meals for that entire trip.

Palacios said stipend generally covers meals, and per diem covers room and board.

Palacios said all government employees get some kind of funding to cover their meals while they are on travel, whether they receive a stipend or per diem.

The director said CNMI government employees get reimbursed for hosting other CNMI government employees while they are on travel.

Sablan showed a request for reimbursement that Torres submitted on Aug. 29, 2017, to then-Finance secretary Larrisa Larson. Sablan said the request was submitted approximately two months after that trip.

Sablan showed a receipt included in the reimbursement request for hosting a party of six on the evening of June 27, 2017, at the Still Water Restaurant in Whitefish, Montana. Sablan said the receipt includes orders of king crab, aged ribeye, salmon, oysters, and alcohol, for a total of $261.

Sablan said that, according to the memo, the governor was hosting personal security detail personnel at the Still Water Restaurant on June 27, 2017.

Palacios said she does not see from the documents any names of individuals hosted on that night. Palacios agreed with Sablan that assuming all six guests were personal security detail personnel on official government travel, each of them would have had their own stipend or per diem.

She also agreed with Sablan that all of the government employees on that trip, including the governor, would have received some kind of compensation from the government for their meals.

Palacios said the governor was reimbursed by the government on top of that for hosting the six for meals.

With respect to Diann Torres, the director said the first lady doesn’t typically get a stipend or per diem while traveling with the governor.

Sablan asked if or could the governor reimburse himself for the first lady’s meals and her other expenses while she’s traveling with him. “I don’t know. I’m not sure if he can do that,” Palacios replied.

Palacios said that, based on reading the documents presented, Torres received a total of $995 per diem during that trip.

Sablan said the travel authorization provides for $199 for five days, for a total of $995.

“So how do we know which five days were authorized in this trip?” Sablan asked. Palacios replied that it’s from the day the governor left and the day he returned, minus the days in Boise.