Bermudes asked to resign
At the instruction of Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, former Department of Public Safety commissioner Clement Bermudes resigned from his post effective last Friday, after about a year on the job.
In a memorandum to all department and agency heads last Friday, Palacios informed them that DPS director of administrative service Kay Inos will serve as acting DPS commissioner effective immediately and until further notice.
Bermudes, in a memorandum of his own, stated that Palacios instructed him to resign last Friday at 2:35pm.
“As of 2:45pm, Gov. Palacios instructed me to submit my resignation. Effective 4:30pm, I hereby resign as DPS commissioner,” said Bermudes.
In a comment from Bermudes, he said he personally did not want to resign.
Saipan Tribune learned that Bermudes and Palacios have not seen eye to eye in the past on an issue involving DPS Sgt. Peter Camacho.
Camacho is the same officer who filed numerous grievances against DPS with the Civil Service Commission and is now accusing the Civil Service Commission of violating the Open Government Act.
According to a letter addressed to Bermudes last Dec. 22, 2023, Palacios expressed concern over Bermudes’ “inconsistency in following [Palacios’] instructions.”
“This is to address the recent disciplinary and seemingly retaliatory actions against Sgt. Peter Camacho, which contravened my directives and continues to be an issue. Despite my explicit instructions regarding Sgt. Camacho’s assignment at Marianas Regional Fusion Center at the CNMI Department of Homeland [Security], he was purposely issued an AWOL notice and subjected to unwarranted punitive measures. This inconsistency in following my direct instructions and the treatment of Sgt. Camacho is concerning and unacceptable. To be clear, effective immediately, I am hereby ordering the reassignment of Sgt. Peter Camacho to the Marianas Regional Fusion Center at the CNMI Department of Homeland Security, under the direct supervision of Chief Lawrence Camacho. Compliance with this order is mandatory and non-negotiable,” the letter stated.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, Camacho, through his lawyers, Robert Torres and Oliver Manglona, has filed multiple grievances against DPS, alleging the department violated his due process rights by precluding him from applying for a salary increase.
“DPS violated Sgt. Camacho’s substantive due process rights by precluding him from applying for the merit-based salary increase in DPS’ examination announcement nos. 20-01 7 and 20-025 when he is a top qualifying candidate under those announcements and is an active, permanent civil service employee in the government,” Camacho’s lawyers claim.
Camacho also alleges that DPS selected unqualified candidates for the salary increase, violating the open, competitive selection policies of the CSC’s rules and regulations.
“Specifically, DPS selected ineligible and unqualified candidates for announcement nos. 20-017 and 20-025 who did not meet the qualification requirements under those announcements and in doing so, violated the open, competitive selection policies of the Civil Service’s Personnel System Rules and Regulations,” he claims.
Camacho has also appealed the Civil Service Commission’s decision denying the grievances he filed against DPS, alleging that the commission violated his rights, as well as the Open Government Act.
The appeal was filed with the Superior Court.
According to Camacho’s lawyers, the commission violated Camacho’s substantive and procedural due process rights by failing to notify him of a Dec. 5, 2023, special meeting and depriving him the opportunity for his grievances to be heard.
In addition, Camacho’s lawyers claim that the commission decided to unanimously deny Camacho’s grievances after deliberating in an executive session that’s away from the public and thus violating the CNMI Open Government Act.
DPS was also named a party in the appeal.
Clement Bermudes
Gov. Arnold I. Palacios
