TWO of the three board nominees of Gov. Juan N. Babauta to the Civil Service Board are expected to be confirmed today.
The Senate will hold a session this morning on the nominations of former Rep. Juan I. Tenorio and Victoria K. Mendiola.
The session on Tenorio and Mendiola’s confirmation was slated at 1 p.m. yesterday, but was canceled.
“Personally, I think they will be confirmed,” Senate Floor Leader Joaquin G. Adriano, D-Tinian, said. “I have no problem with their nomination papers. They are both qualified,” he added.
The Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigation yesterday held a public hearing on the nomination of acting Secretary Juan L. Babauta of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.
Sen. Thomas P. Villagomez, R-Saipan, said he “has “no problem” with Babauta’s nomination.
“We didn’t find anything that will impede his appointment,” Villagomez said.
The committee chairman, Senate Vice President David M. Cing, said he received a letter alleging irregularities at DCCA.
The unsigned letter said there was “favoritism” in hiring employees, said Cing, D-Tinian.
But the senators said the allegations were not supported by evidence.
Babauta denied the allegations. He said he had not started hiring due to budgetary constraints.
“Hiring will be based on the qualifications of the people that are going to carry on the responsibilities to make sure that the department will move forward,” he told the Variety yesterday.
