Rep. Christina E. Sablan (D-Saipan) said they have seen some of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres\u2019 utility bills amounting to more than $17,000 that were paid by the CNMI government in the last few years. <\/p>\n
Sablan said they found this based on incomplete records obtained from the Department of Finance.<\/p>\n
The lawmaker talked about Torres\u2019 utility bills last week in response to Saipan Tribune\u2019s inquiry about the Governor\u2019s official residence on Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n
Sablan said it is her understanding that the governor\u2019s official residence is abandoned and derelict and that the government hasn\u2019t provided housing for years. That has resulted in the governor living in his own home. It was earlier explained that, with the government failing to provide Torres an official residence, the Department of Finance has shouldered the utility bills at the governor\u2019s private residence.<\/p>\n
Sablan said Finance has authorized such payment for years but nothing in the law actually provides for that. \u201cWhere the abuse has happened has been in the payment of utility bills at the governor\u2019s private residence,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
When sought for comment, press secretary Kevin Bautista responded by saying that Sablan, \u201cas always, will continue to cherry pick records and information about the governor and lieutenant governor in order to fit her political agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bautista said former governor Juan N. Babauta was the last governor to stay in the governor\u2019s official residence. Since then, he said, every governor has stayed at their private residence, decreasing what is financially obligated to maintain the public governor\u2019s residence on Capital Hill. Yet Sablan did not raise a flag during the Benigno R. Fitial administration nor the Eloy S. Inos administration, he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut of course, she will continue to pursue her political agenda over more important Commonwealth matters,\u201d Bautista said.<\/p>\n
Torres recently said he wishes he could stay at the governor\u2019s residence as provided by the CNMI Constitution but pointed out that he is unable to do so at present since \u201cthere is no government housing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres said security is among the reasons why the Constitution provides housing for the governor and lieutenant governor.<\/p>\n
Rep. Richard T. Lizama (D-Saipan) recently introduced a bill that will remove taxpayer-funded housing for the governor, lieutenant governor, Senate president, and House speaker. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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