But Kara is not giving up

Saying the case has “very little to do with Maya Kara,” the embattled former acting Attorney General yesterday urged the Tenorio administration to consider appealing the decision handed down by the Superior Court as it raised questions on the governor’s appointing power.

She warned the case could affect such authority by the executive branch, but said it will be up to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio and the Attorney General’s Office to make an “informed decision” on whether the ruling will be appealed on some basis.

“That has very little to do with me personally. I’ve stepped aside and the law, the events and the process will take their course,” Ms. Kara told in an interview.

She said, however, discussion was held on the possibility on appealing the decision to the Supreme Court, particularly on serious issues raised by the case that she said have “nothing to do” with her.

“What they have to do is with the authority of the governor to appoint officials and I think this case seriously diminishes that authority. I think it would be something that needs to be seriously considered whether or not to appeal those things,” added Ms. Kara.

In the decision last week, Guam-based Judge Pro Tem Joaquin V.E. Manibusan ordered the governor to appoint a permanent AG and ordered Ms. Kara to step down, while ruling that the executive branch has to comply with the 30-day limit in having an acting official assume the position prior to making a nomination.

Although she has abided by the order, Ms. Kara said she is willing to stay on at least during the transitional period when a new Attorney General is named to continue her work, such as policies, procedures, changes and other issues she had instituted since her appointment in July 1998.

Under contract as Deputy Attorney General which is renewable every year, she vowed to serve the governor “in whatever capacity he sees fit” whether in or out of AGO, adding that she has not participated in the selection process on who will be named as her successor.

Asked how she has been dealing with the controversy surrounding her 18-month appointment, the former legal counsel of the House of Representatives said there are now “more certainties than uncertainties ” following the release of the court decision.

“I have always said that I would step aside if the governor asks me to or the court asks me to . Now that the court has asked me to step aside, I feel very clean about doing that,” said Ms. Kara.

But she said she is looking forward to getting back to her private life again. “If I’m not acting Attorney General, I get to have less of the constant exposure that’s very difficult for me because I am a very private person. I’m used to having a private life and I haven’t had one for year and a half.”