Diego bids teary goodbye to Legislature

Rep. Diego T. Benavente (Rep-Saipan) gave his swan song at the Legislature Thursday afternoon, with past and present colleagues rushing to congratulate him for a job well done immediately following the end of a House of Representatives session.

House Speaker Eli Cabrera (Rep-Saipan) quipped that the former lieutenant governor stepping down makes him want to retire too.

“We in Precinct I, we work as a team from the beginning. In the Legislature, there’s always a minority and majority, by nature of politics. We work together, there’s always ups and downs. On behalf of Precinct 1, I want to wish you the best of luck on your retirement,” said Cabrera, who admitted he switched from Democrat to GOP because he didn’t want to challenge Benavente.

Reps. Tony Sablan (Cov-Saipan) and Ralph Demapan (Cov-Saipan) also took turns thanking Benavente for his service as one of the more senior members of the House of Representatives.

Sen. Pete Reyes (Rep-Saipan) also took time to drop by the House chamber to say goodbye to a friend and colleague.

“This is a sad day because I’ve been working with congressman Benavente since the time of the 8th Legislature. All the three terms I served in the House he was the speaker. Then when I moved to the Senate we still worked together. We moved a lot of bills working together. There’s a lot of young members who learned from him. His absence from the chamber will really be missed by many of us,” said Reyes.

Former speaker and now Public Lands Secretary Oscar Babauta also was present and welcomed his old buddy into retirement from the Legislature.

“I’ve served in the Legislature for 18 years, nine terms. I had the opportunity of running with him in 1993 until I got out. I’m very happy, very proud about the political history former speaker Benavente and I put together. It will always be in the hearts and minds of our people, in particular Precinct 2 that we served back then,” he said.

When asked about the most memorable part of his close to 17 years of public service, Benavente said it was the time when he served as speaker.

“The years when I was the speaker, the leader of the House of Representatives, those were the good years. That was when there was money. I can say those times we were able to accomplish a lot. I was honored to have served as speaker during those times,” he said.

Specifically, he mentioned the 11th Legislature—his third term as speaker—as the time in his political career he is most proud of.

“After the election, I told them I don’t want to hog this position but for four years—as a speaker—I fought with then Gov. Froilan Tenorio. It just happened that there was a new administration for that 11th Legislature and I asked to try to become speaker for one term with a cooperating administration. As it turned out, we introduced a record-number of bills. We passed a record-number of bills and there were a record-number of bills that were signed into law during the 11th Legislature.”

The poignancy of Benavente’s retirement after almost 17 years of public service—both as congressman and second-highest official in the Executive Branch—allowed for a momentary truce between old political rivals Benavente and Rep. Froilan Tenorio (Cov-Saipan).

Following a heated debate on the floor Thursday afternoon, Benavente approached the former governor and shook hands with his cousin after Tenorio appeared to agree on Benavente’s point on amendments to the CNMI’s Anti-Littering Act.

In an interview with the Saipan Tribune, Benavente wished his replacement, former representative and congresswoman-in-waiting Janet Maratita, and the rest of the House good luck as they continue to address the many problems the islands are faced with.

“It’s a major challenge. All of the leaders really need to continue to fight through this and turn things around because our people are suffering,” said Benavente, who left yesterday for Kosrae to attend a meeting of the Pacific Islands Development Bank, where he serves as one of the governors.

Although he is retiring from public service, Benavente said he is very much open to working in the private sector if anyone will take him.

“I have two kids in college who I will continue to support. I will look for something in the private sector. Minimum wage will get me more than what I’m making now…if it means [taking] a minimum wage job, I’ll take it. I hope to find something I like doing. I hope to find something that will continue my participation on civic issues. Next week when I get back from Kosrae I would be making phone calls, knocking on doors, and talking to people…looking for a job,” he told Saipan Tribune.

While fighting away tears, Benavente said he will continue to pray with the rest of the community for the leaders of the CNMI. He also took time to thank his colleagues, legislative staff, and even the media.

He, however, reserved his most heartfelt gratitude to his constituents in Precinct 1 and the rest of the people of the Commonwealth who have entrusted him again and again by voting him into office.

Benavente added that although he leaves with a tinge of guilt, not having finished his term as congressman, he is confident that members of the House will carry on and do what’s best for the Commonwealth.