First lady’s ex-bodyguard testifies at JGO hearing

In this screengrab, police sergeant Flora Aguon, who was formerly assigned as protective security detail for first lady Diann T. Torres, goes over some papers with her lawyer, Anthony Aguon, as she testifies yesterday before the House of Representatives Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee.

As the House of Representatives Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee resumed yesterday its hearing on Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ expenditures of public funds and travels, the panel called on a police sergeant who was formerly assigned as protective security detail for first lady Diann T. Torres.

Appearing yesterday before the committee, police sergeant Flora Aguon testified, among other things, that she was never asked to assist with personal shopping for Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and first lady Diann Torres and that the first couple attended many meetings in Washington, D.C., Montana, and Guam. She said she was never asked to “take care” of the Torres couple’s children and family members, that no one has approached her to sign a nondisclosure agreement, and no one pressured her testimony. Aguon appeared with her counsel, Anthony Aguon.

Rep. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan), who chairs the committee, later said the hearing will resume today, Friday, at 10:30am, during which police officer Jhaneeka Atalig and the governor’s chief of staff, William “Wil” Castro, will appear.

Flora Aguon told the committee that she was assigned as a protective security detail or personal security detail for the first lady from January to July 2017.

In response to questions from vice speaker Blas Jonathan T. Attao (R-Saipan), Aguon said she has not signed a nondisclosure agreement and that she was not approached by anyone to sign such an agreement.

She said she was offered the opportunity to be personal security detail for the first lady and has no knowledge whether the Torreses specifically asked for her.

She said she received a specialized training—PSD training— and that her supervisor at that time was Joey Cruz.

In response to Babauta’s follow-up questions, Aguon said it was Department of Public Safety Commissioner Robert Guerrero who offered her the PSD assignment. She said her duties and responsibilities was basically just to provide protective service detail for the first lady to and from her residence and to any events that she had to attend. Aguon said that, as PSD, she did drive Diann Torres to official functions and non-official, non-government functions, such as when Diann Torres was invited to weddings and proclamation signings.

Aguon acknowledged that she did drive Diann Torres’ children to school or pick them up from school but the first lady would always with her in the car. She said she was never asked or instructed to look after the Torres children or otherwise take care of other members of the Torres family.

Aguon said she was never asked to assist with the personal shopping of the Torres family.

She said she does not recall being asked to do other types of personal errands for the Torres family, nor ever signing or receiving any cargo for the first lady, or Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, or for anybody in the family.

She said she was not ever asked to assist in any way with the first lady’s foundation, the Lady Diann Torres Foundation.

The sergeant said she does not recall if she ever accompanied the first lady on any excursions on a DPS boat but she did drive the first lady in a government vehicle.

She said she does not recall ever accompanying the first lady in attending any campaign functions or political activities.

Aguon said she does not recall ever attending with the first lady anything involving representatives of Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC.

As with most of her testimonies on trips taken by the Torres couple, Aguon expressed some recollections of some of the trips or does not remember some details or she has no specific knowledge.

When asked, “Have you ever been pressured or anything with regard to your testimony here today?” Aguon replied “No, sir.”

Aguon also claimed she does not recall if the first couple traveled business or first class.

She said she was mostly on those trips to provide PDS for the first lady, so she has no idea as to the activities of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres. Aguon said she is providing PSD for the first lady and that’s all she was doing.

Aguon said she got instruction from her supervisor when it comes to accompanying the first lady on trips and that she never received any such instructions from DPS Commissioner Robert Guerrero.