An independent legal opinion that Senate President Paul Manglona (R-Rota) sought states that Glenna SP Reyes continues to be the duly appointed director of the Legislative Bureau unless and until shes removed by a majority vote from each chamber of the Legislature.
œThe independent legal opinion which I requested is clear. Mrs. Reyes is still the bureau director unless a majority of the House and Senate choose to remove her, Manglona told Saipan Tribune.
House Speaker Froilan Tenorio (Cov-Saipan) reiterated yesterday that Reyes contract expired when no budget was passed on Oct. 1.
He had said there is no language permitting a later renewal if a budget eventually is passed with funds for the directors position.
Tenorio said while hes willing to retain Reyes, œmajority of my colleagues dont want her.
At the same time, House minority leader Diego T. Benavente (R-Saipan) wrote a letter to Tenorio yesterday, objecting to the speakers order to Reyes to vacate her office by Oct. 19.
Benavente said despite the clear language of the Constitution requiring majority vote of each house to remove the director and that the LB should be free from any political harassment or pressure, the speaker continues to œunilaterally afflict political pressure and order the director to vacate her office.
The minority leader accused Tenorio of playing games with Reyes, who is the wife of Senate floor leader Pete Reyes.
œIt is common knowledge in the Legislature you gave Mrs. Reyes your blessings as the director for the next fiscal year during the Senate deliberations of your casino bill. But when the Senate rejected your casino bill, you obviously changed your mind and continue to harass Mrs. Reyes. Your actions are uncalled for and are tantamount to harassing the director in violation of the CNMI Constitution, Benavente told Tenorio.
Private attorney Mark B. Hanson provided Manglona yesterday with a six-page legal opinion on Reyess current status as LB director and the procedures necessary for her removal from her position as director.
œIn sum, it is my opinion that Ms. Reyes was properly appointed to an indefinite position as director of the Legislative Bureau and that Ms. Reyes continues to be the duly appointed director of the Legislative Bureau unless and until properly removed as provided in Article II, Section 17(d) of the Constitution, Hanson told Manglona.
Hanson said proper removal would require a majority vote in the Senate and a majority vote in the House of Representatives.
He based his opinion on documentation regarding Reyes appointment to the directors post, her employments contracts with the LB, the CNMI Constitution and other applicable laws, rules and regulations.
Tenorio also said yesterday that he will be sending to Manglona the House leaderships appointment letter for former senator Maria Frica Pangelinan as new LB director.
Because Tenorio has also sought advice from the Department of Finance, among other things, he had to postpone sending the appointment letter to Senate.
Rep. Stanley Torres (Ind-Saipan), in a separate phone interview yesterday, said he will not sign off on Pangelinans appointment letter because the LB directors position is not vacant.
Tenorio said one other member of the House leadership-Rep. Ray Palacios (Cov-Saipan)-has not signed off on the appointment letter as of yesterday.
Torres also cited the CNMI Constitution, which requires that the bureau director be appointed by the joint leadership of the Legislature consisting of the presiding officers, vice presiding officers, floor leaders, and the chairmen of the standing committees.
Tenorio questioned Reyes on Monday to vacate her office by Tuesday, but Reyes did not do so and retained a private attorney, Robert T. Torres, with respect to this issue.
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