POLICE Officer Jhaneeka Atalig is no longer required to appear before the House Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee which is investigating Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ public expenditures.
Atalig was among the Department of Public Safety police officers subpoenaed by the committee to answer questions pertaining to the off-island travels of the governor and first lady Diann Torres.
Atalig was a member of the personal security detail that escorted the governor and the first lady in their first-class trips to the U.S.
Her name appeared in travel authorizations and other documents obtained by the committee.
The police officers who have already testified about the off-island trips of the governor and the first lady are Jomalyn Gelacio, Emery Kaipat, Adrian Mendiola, Kevin Aldan, Flora Aguon and Joey Cruz.
The House JGO chair, Rep. Celina Babauta, said these police officers and other witnesses who have already testified “have provided ample evidence on the issues that we would have explored with Ms. Atalig, notwithstanding the governor’s attempts to impede the JGO investigation.”
“Therefore, the JGO committee has collectively decided to dismiss Ms. Jhaneeka Atalig from the subpoena served upon her on August 24, 2021, and her counsel, Mr. Anthony Aguon, has acknowledged our notice,” Babauta added.
She said this will allow the committee to focus on the remainder of the witnesses that will be called to testify in the very near future as she also thanked members of the public “for their patience.”
Celina Babauta
