Elected officials spent nearly $2M in travels

Capitol Hill elected officials have spent $1.8 million in travel expenses for fiscal year 2004 and FY 2005.

Records obtained by the Saipan Tribune through the Open Government Act showed that Gov. Juan N. Babauta and Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente spent $117,922.31, with Babauta registering a sum of $90,389.99 and Benavente, $27,532.32.

The Legislature’s two presiding officers Senate President Joaquin G. Adriano and House speaker Benigno R. Fitial spent $142,504.28 with Adriano, who is from Tinian, owning the bulk of $141,044.78 and Fitial, $1,459.

Overall, the Legislature spent $821,643 in FY 2004 and $694,772.05 for FY05.

Official documents showed that Gov. Babauta has spent a total of $90,389.99 in 41 trips as reflected in 109 travel authorizations covering the period September 2003 to May 2005.

The governor had 30 approved TAs for 11 trips made in September to December 2003, totaling $24,712.39 .

In 2004, the governor was issued 60 TAs for 30 official travels amounting to $58,421.23.

This year, the governor has so far requested for 19 TAs for 10 travels which amount to $7,393.87.

Most of the 11 trips made in the last part of 2003 were off-island: New Mexico on Oct. 9 to 15; Japan and Honolulu on October 21 to 27; Palau on November 5 to 9; Los Angeles and Hawaii on November 19 to 25; Los Angeles and Guam on Dec. 22 to Jan. 7, 2004.

The governor spent over $4,000 for the six-day trip to Japan and Honolulu in October, $3,945 for six days in Los Angeles and Hawaii in November, $6,640 for two weeks in Los Angeles and Guam in December; and $4,340 for six days in New Mexico and Guam in October.

Four separate trips were made to Guam on Sept. 23, 2003; Oct. 4 to 8; Oct. 15 to 16; and Dec. 8, 2003. Other trips that year involved Rota.

The governor spent a low of $246 for a day long trip to Guam and $1,084 for four days.

In 2004, 14 trips were made to Guam with a low of $188 to over $400 spending per trip, depending on the number of days. Most Guam trips were mostly one day long or overnight stays.

A trip was made to Palau on March 18 to 20, 2004, posting a spending of $824.50.

Three trips were made to Honolulu on Jan. 22 to 26 ($2,921), July 30 to Aug. 6 ($3,512), and on Dec. 15 to 17 but with a TA of only $460.

Four U.S. mainland trips were made that year: Los Angeles and Honolulu on Sept. 22 to 30 ($5,831); New York, Washington D.C., and Hawaii on Nov. 14 to 27 ($7,046), Washington D.C. on Aug. 21 to Sept. 3 ($8,683), and Houston and Honolulu on May 30 to June 10 ($10,322).

The governor made two trips to Beijing for the granting of Approved Destination Status to the CNMI: on April 16 to 19 ($1,562.50) and the other one on Dec. 28 to 31 ($2,078.50).

Five trips were made to either Tinian and Rota during the year using public funds.

This year, the governor made four trips to Guam, four to Rota/Tinian, one to San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Louisiana on Jan. 16 to 25 ($4,879), and two trips recently to Japan.

The TA records for Japan trips, which were made amid reports of the looming pullout of Japan Airlines, were not yet made available.

The governor flew to Tokyo prior to the two recent trips but it was reportedly personally shouldered by the official.

Of the 109 travel authorizations, 60 were made using the funds of the Office of the Governor, 27 tapped the Governor’s Discretionary Account, nine were credited to the Office of Personnel Management, two under the Department of Finance (for Guam trip in July 2004), two under the Attorney General (Beijing trip in April 2004), two under Typhoon Chaba (Rota trip in August and September 2004), and five TAs under Coral Reef account (Guam trip in Sept. 2003).

The governor used his discretionary accounts for 14 TA in 2003 including his trips to New Mexico as well as to Los Angeles and Honolulu; 10 TAs in 2004 including his Houston trip; and three TAs in 2005 including his Louisiana trip.

Meantime, Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente spent a total of $27,532 in travel as reflected in 34 TAs: 26 in 2004 and eight in 2005.

Benavente made about 10 off-island trips during the period: Palau on January 19 to 22, 2004 ($1,297), Honolulu, Washington D.C., Idaho, and Seattle on Feb. 7 to 19 ($6,948.50), Nagoya and Shanghai on March 4 to 7 ($2,456.10), Bozeman Mt. and Seattle on July 7 to 16 ($5,048.25), Palau on July 27 to 30 ($1,167.20), Tokyo, Tottori, and Manila on Oct. 25 to 28 ($2,340), Manila and Hongkong on April 21 to 24 ($1,403.35), and Guam and Koror on Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 ( $1,346.01).

This year, Benavente went to Palau on Jan. 27 to 30 ($1,626) and to Manila and Hongkong on April 3 to 8 ($2,339.73).

Of the 34 travel authorizations, 20 tapped the funds of the Office of the Lt. Gov. and 14 used the official’s discretionary account.

In the Legislature, Senate president Joaquin G. Adriano spent a total of $141,044 as reflected in 45 TAs from Oct. 2003 to May 2005.

The TAs include the Tinian senator’s $5,000 “subsistence” allowance every month which is drawn quarterly.

The records showed 31 TAs under the senator’s account, six TAs under the senate presiding officer’s account, two from Administrative Services for his Beijing trip on April 15 to 19, 2004, two TAs under the Governor’s Discretionary Account for a Honolulu trip on Nov. 23 to 26, 2003, and four TAs under the Office of the Governor, for a Washington D.C trip on Feb. 23 to March 2, 2004 and a Guam trip on May 21, 2004.

House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial spent a total of $1,459.41 as shown in 13 TAs: 11 in 2004 and two in 2005.

Fitial used the funds for Rota, Tinian, and Guam trips during the period.

Meantime, records showed that the Legislative Branch spent $821,643 in fiscal year 2004 and $694,772 so far in FY 2005.

Documents showed that the Senate spent $515,437 in FY04 and $519,812 in FY05 while the House of Representatives spent $198,838 in FY04 and $150,296 in FY05.

The Legislative Bureau had spent $107,368 in FY04 and $24,664 so far in FY05.

As of June 7, 2005, the following lawmakers posted travel expenses:

House of Representatives
1. Crispin M. Ogo (Rota) – $49,530
2. Norman S. Palacios (Tinian) -$48,000
3. Benjamin B. Seman – $15,280
4. Justo S. Quitugua – $9,309
5. Janet U. Maratita – $6,624
6. Jesus Sn. Lizama – $3,088
7. Jesus T. Attao – $3,088
8. Timothy P. Villagomez – $2,930
9. Claudio K. Norita -$2,461
10. Oscar M. Babauta – $2,088
11. Martin B. Ada – $1,893
12. House contingency -$1,263
13. Ray Yumul – $876
14. Benigno R. Fitial – $788
15. David Apatang – $580
16. Arnold I. Palacios – $260
17. Ramon Tebuteb – $211

Senate
1. Paterno S. Hocog (Rota) – $68,096
2. Thomas P. Villagomez – $67,353
3. Henry H. San Nicolas (Tinian) -$61,950
4. Paul A. Manglona (Rota) – $61,718
5. Joseph M. Mendiola (Tinian) – $61,003
6. Diego M. Songao (Rota) -$60,175
7. Joaquin G. Adriano (Tinian) -$60,000
8. Pete P. Reyes – $11,875
9. Luis P. Crisostimo – $9,201

Records also showed that as of June 7, 2005, the Senate Committee on Resources Economic and Development Programs chaired by Sen. Crisostimo spent $53,114 in travels; the Committee on Fiscal Affairs chaired by Sen. Mendiola, $2,207; and the Committee on Rules and Procedures chaired by Sen. Manglona, $2,209.