Flashback May 16, 2000-2002

Kumoi: Audit senators[/B]

Expenditures by senators came under close scrutiny after a colleague asked the Office of Public Auditor yesterday to determine how taxpayers’ dollars are spent by the Senate whether or not they pass the test of the “public purpose” law. Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero expressed dismay and disappointment over major expenditures made by his colleagues in recent months following a disclosure by Finance Sec. Lucy DLG. Nielsen in response to his request for these documents.

CNMI Representative to Washington Juan N. Babauta will vacate his office in 15 days and move to the official residence of House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial in Capitol Hill. This was the agreement entered into by both Mr. Babauta and Mr. Fitial during a hearing before the Superior Court on the motion of the Washington Representative to stop the relocation of his office.

Haven’t seen your favorite Filipino programs lately or if you sometimes do, are you enjoying the quality of your television set’s reception? Before you decide to throw your Trinitron or Wega to the electronics repair shop next door or before you call for technical support, check your neighbor’s cable services and you are likely to find out that you share the same problem.

Takeover threats pulled down user fee collection[/B]

Customs Director Jose C, Mafnas yesterday blamed revived federal takeover threats on the significant decline in the amount of garment user fee collections in calendar year 2000. Aside from federalization threats, protectionist investment measures implemented by the CNMI government have also been discouraging expansion of existing investments, while virtually blocking the entry of new business ventures.
[B] CNMI stands firm vs. takeover[/B]

The CNMI government is crafting strong measures to block latest attempt in the US Congress to extend federal immigration and labor laws into the Northern Marianas, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio disclosed yesterday. Mr. Tenorio said his administration will continue urging the US Congress to abandon proposed measures that would federalize the Commonwealth’s labor and immigration systems.
[B] New round of PCB study pressed[/B]

Tanapag residents are pressing the Legislature to allow the release of some $700,000 initially identified to fund an independent sampling and study of PCB contamination in the village. Last week, Tanapag Action Group officers and members met with Sen. Joaquin Adriano and other lawmakers, including the Tinian delegation, to urge members of the Senate to pass House Bill 12-378.

Senate coup goes pffft[/B]

The leadership coup attempt at the Senate has fizzled out, after Tinian Sen. Jose Dela Cruz turned down the offer to supplant Sen. Paul A. Manglona as Senate President. Saying he feels the present Senate leadership should remain intact, Dela Cruz said he made his decision to stick with the present leadership after consulting with his family, friends and supporters. Although guarded in his comments, Manglona later said he is always of the belief that the senators have a lot of things to do in the Senate and the 13th Legislature.

Making good on his promise, Senate Vice President David M. Cing has resigned from the Senate leadership, effective Friday. In a two-page letter that cited two instances of what he described as “betrayals” by Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Cing resigned as vice president of the upper chamber and as chairman of the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations.

Several underground storage tanks in the Commonwealth—most of them maintained by gasoline stations—contained petroleum that leaked into the groundwater, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said. Such contamination aggravates the condition of Saipan’s groundwater, which the EPA has found to be with varying levels of volatile organic compounds. Several drinking water wells source their water from the contaminated aquifers. Six sites on Saipan were identified to be leaking petroleum from storage tanks. These are the Mobil URIII gas station in Chalan Kiya, Mobil Castro gas station along Middle Road, the former Mobil gas station in Susupe, the Mobil gas station along Beach Road in Garapan, the Commonwealth Ports Authority/Mobil Airport pipeline and the Bahilio residence located in San Antonio.