THE House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations on Tuesday asked Financial Services Director Bernadita Palacios regarding the reimbursements received by Gov. Ralph DLG Torres for the utility bills of his private residence.
The committee showed Palacios a copy of a memorandum requesting for a reimbursement of $6,630.90 for the governor’s utility bills from October 2018 to February 2019. The reimbursement request included payment for late penalty fees, for which the governor was also reimbursed.
Palacios said she signed the certification for the availability of funds.
When asked about it, Palacios, who has been with the Department of Finance for 30 years now, said she doesn’t remember any other governor who was reimbursed for utility bills.
Because the governor’s official residence needs to be repaired and renovated, Republican Gov. Ralph DLG Torres lives in his private residence.
Rep. Edwin Propst, a Democrat, said the governor’s $6,630.90 in utility bills for five months could mean a monthly average of about $1,300. An average consumer, he added, would “pass out” if he or she receives such a utility bill.
“Perhaps solar panels should be recommended if we’re going to be paying for the governor’s power,” he said.
Democrat Rep. Richard Lizama for his part, said the $6,630.90 in utility bills incurred by the governor covered the months of political campaign in the 2018 general elections.
Rep. Tina Sablan, another Democrat, said it was around the time when Saipan and Tinian were just hit by Super Typhoon Yutu when everybody else did not have power in their homes.
Propst said it was very surprising to know that in the months when people had no power due to the super typhoon, the governor had power in his private residence, and was reimbursed for his utility bills.
The committee said aside from the $6,630.90 utility bills for October 2018 to February 2019, the governor also received reimbursements for $4,992.37 in utility bills for January 2015 to November 2015; $3,895 in utility bills from December 2015 to September 2016; and $2,120.34 in utility bills from October 2016 to January 2017.
Governor’s travels
Also on Tuesday, Financial Services Director Bernadita Palacios was asked by the committee about the stipends the governor received for his two-day personal stop in Boise, Idaho during one of his off-island business or first-class travels.
The committee said that on Aug. 29, 2017, months after the actual trip, the governor was reimbursed for the cost he incurred at Still Water Restaurant in Montana.
The committee said according to the reimbursement request, it was “for official representation,” specifically for “hosting of PSD on protection” and “hosting of DPS Boating Safety.”
For the hosting of PSD or protective security detail at Still Water Restaurant in Montana, the committee said the governor and his companions ordered, among other dishes, King crab, salmon and oysters.
The committee’s findings are mentioned in the then-House minority bloc’s report available online (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IhYEol7BIQg7PngeGAqrYW81NK8tJfem/view?fbclid=IwAR3WpUEi3r5DdI-js1TAhet2DN9JAocJHtbf2INeXTcDlMyktnEiweDw3yE).
The report was mostly based on the documents provided by the Office of the Governor and the Department of Finance in response to the Open Government Act requests of then-House Democratic candidate Celina R. Babauta who now chairs the House JGO committee, which has seven members, only one of whom is a Republican.
Rep. Tina Sablan, right, shows Financial Services Director Bernadita Palacios documents as Palacios’s legal counsel, former Attorney General Matt Gregory, left, and legislative assistant Cameron Nicholas look on during the continuation of the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operation’s oversight hearing on the governor’s public expenditures.
Rep. Tina Sablan gestures as she asks a question during the continuation of the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operation’s oversight hearing on the governor’s public expenditures.
