‘Senate plagued with dysfunctional leadership’

Sen. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) said yesterday that a longstanding dysfunctional leadership has plagued the Senate for the past 16 months.

“We have had no leadership meetings. Not a single one,” said Babauta during a press conference in her office.

As to how and when her rift with Senate President Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) started, Babauta disclosed it’s petty—over parking space designation.

Babauta called for a press conference in response to the recent decision of DeLeon Guerrero to remove her as chairwoman of the Committee on Judiciary, Government and Law and replaced her with Sen. Karl R. King-Nabors (R-Tinian).

DeLeon Guerrero cited numerous pending bills and not holding a committee meeting for eight months. She also discussed her decision during the Senate special session on Monday.

Babauta said yesterday that since their inauguration, there have been no leadership meetings despite repeated requests from members of the leadership.

Babauta said DeLeon Guerrero has just refused to call for a leadership meeting.

She said her removal from JGL Committee is disappointing, but not surprising given her recent endorsement of Rep. Manny Gregory T. Castro (Ind-Saipan) to seek a seat in the Senate race the November general elections.

“I believe the decision to remove me from my chairmanship is simply political desperation. It is unfortunate that they feel the need to bring me down to lift themselves up, but my focus remains on serving the constituents of the Commonwealth,” she said.

Babauta said she was unable to hold meetings in the JGL Committee following the resignation of Sen. Dennis Mendiola (R-Rota) and the refusal of Sens. Francisco Q. Cruz (R-Tinian), Karl R. King-Nabors (R-Tinian), and Jude U. Hofschneider (R-Tinian) to take Mendiola’s place.

Babauta said, however, that’s not only the reason of her removal as there have been things happening in the Senate that she does not want to disclose as “it’s just petty.”

On DeLeon Guerrero’s leadership, Babauta said the Senate president has assumed the role and authority typically reserved for the floor leader.

This action, she said, effectively concentrates power and control in the hands of the Senate president, creating an imbalance and a pattern of unilateral decision-making where only bills favored by the president are prioritized on the calendar.

“She controls everything now. The floor leader really doesn’t have any powers anymore, except to make motions to pass and adopt committees, reports or anything like that,” Babauta said.

In response to Sen. Francisco Q. Cruz’s (R-Tinian) statement during Monday’s session that that Tinian senators are not included in the JGL Committee, and Executive Appointments and Government Investigations Committee, Babauta said it’s unfair and dishonest.

“I find it amusing that Sen. Cruz continues to misrepresent the truth by his statements in order to fulfill his political agenda,” she said.

Babauta reminded Cruz that he was the first member of the Tinian and Aguiguan Legislative Delegation (TALD) that she appointed to the JGL Committee and that he took his time to decline participation.

Babauta said she has consistently pursued the appointment of a minority member to the JGL Committee and they have consistently ignored my appointments and have deliberately frustrated the process.

She said since April 2023, TALD members have refused to participate in meetings of the JGL Committee, effectively stalling important legislation that could benefit residents of Tinian and Aguiguan.

“I wonder if, you know, this is just their way of frustrating the legislative process. At this point, I’m convinced it is,” she said.

As to the question on talks that she and DeLeon Guerrero have a rift since last year and how it started, Babauta said the first instance and experience she had with the Senate president when the latter was trying to control who gets to park in her (Babauta) assigned parking stall.

“And that is so petty. That’s why I don’t bring that up,” she said.

Babauta said she never used her assigned parking space because there is a drainage grill as she exits her car.

“That is dangerous, and I could literally either sprain or break my ankle,” she said.

Babauta said DeLeon Guerrero issued a memorandum stating that only Senate members are allowed to park in the designated parking spaces.

“Senate staffers, other members have asked me to if they could park there and I have no problems with that. I don’t care about my parking stall,” she said, adding that she is parking in the public parking area.

On April 26, 2023, DeLeon Guerrero issued a memorandum addressed to Legislative Bureau director Perry John P. Tenorio, stating that the Senate members’ parking space are designated for the Senate members and that the assigned parking slots are assigned a letter for security reasons.

“It appears that some legislative members’ staff are utilizing the assigned spaces for Senate members. This is not right and must stop immediately,” the Senate president said.

On May 1, 2023, Babauta issued a memorandum addressed to Tenorio, notifying the Legislative Bureau that three staff are authorized to utilize her assigned parking stall.

The following day, May 2, Babauta wrote a letter to Tenorio, stating that while the Senate president does have the authority to assign Senate parking slots pursuant to Rule 13, section 4, this rule does not provide that the Senate president has the control to micromanage how the slot is used.

Babauta said she prefers to park in the public parking area where she can safely exit the vehicle without encountering the metal drainage.

She also pointed out that DeLeon Guerrero’s memorandum was not the product of the entire Senate leadership as one of the four other members of the leadership were consulted or agreed to such.