THE House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations on Tuesday asked Police Officer 3 Adrian T. Mendiola several questions about certain trips taken by Gov. Ralph DLG Torres on Department of Public Safety boats.
The committee showed Mendiola a trip report dated June 19, 2017 stating that he, PO3 Emery Kaipat, PO3 David K. Rabauliman and PO3 Arnold K. Seman “escorted governor by boat to Guam.”
According to the trip report, which the four police officers signed, they departed Smiling Cove Marina at 11 a.m., on Feb. 9, 2017 aboard the DPS Boating Safety vessel, Zodiac III, and arrived at Hagåtña Marina on the same day at 4 p.m. The next day, they departed Hagåtña Marina at 7 a.m. and arrived at Smiling Cove Marina on Saipan at 2 p.m.
“The purpose of this trip is to escort the Honorable Governor Ralph DLG Torres to Guam aboard DPS Boating Safety vessel Zodiac III and return back to Saipan aboard Zodiac III,” the trip report stated.
But a travel voucher pertaining to the travel itinerary stated that the governor departed Saipan on Flight DL297 at 4:10 p.m. of Feb. 9, 2017 on his way to Narita, Japan where he was scheduled to land at 7:05 p.m. And from Narita, he was to depart at 5:25 p.m. to Seattle where he was scheduled to arrive at “1419” hours.
A Delta Airlines boarding pass stated that “TORRES/RALPH ANTHONY,” seated on “4C” departed Saipan at 4:10 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive at Narita at 3:15 p.m., Japan time.
Asked by Rep. Donald Manglona about the trip report “to escort” the governor to Guam, Mendiola said “we needed to escort the governor which is our primary mission.”
“Was the governor on the boat at any point during this trip?” Manglona asked.
Mendiola answered, “Yes, as stated in the trip report.”
The committee chairwoman, Rep. Celina Babauta, reminded Mendiola that he was under oath, and asked him a “clarifying question” whether he, Mendiola, was just agreeing to the document being presented or he actually recalled “escorting the governor” on the boat.
Mendiola replied: “Again, ma’am that was in 2017. I’ve taken so many boat trips, I don’t recall. Whatever supporting documents you have, I will use that, just like any notes I’ve used in the field whether two or three years past. We rely on notes. What is provided here is just what I can recall. 2017 is many years back. I am relying on these documents that you guys have provided me.”
Mendiola said he has been a police officer for about 15 years and has been a boat captain for the past five or six years.
When Babauta asked if the information in the trip report “is true and correct to the best of your knowledge” Mendiola answered, yes.
When Manglona mentioned the governor’s travel documents to Narita, Japan, Mendiola’s legal counsel, Anthony Aguon, said Mendiola’s answers to the lawmakers’ questions were based on the documents, and that he was not saying that he remembers that the governor was on the boat.
Babauta called for recess at around 11:45 a.m.
When the hearing resumed at 2 p.m., the committee presented Mendiola with a copy of another trip report, this time dated June 21, 2018 to June 23, 2018.
It stated: “Left Smiling Cove Marina on DPS Impact boat and headed to Guam. Arrived Guam at 12 noon where we waited for the rent-a-car. We left Guam Marina, went to King’s Restaurant where he had lunch, went to Payless Supermarket to buy some supplies and headed to Guam Airport Hotel and settled in.”
The committee likewise presented copies of a travel authorization and boarding pass stating that on the same date, the governor was traveling to Boise, Idaho.
Rep. Edwin Propst said a person can’t be in two places at one time, so he wants to know how Governor Torres was traveling to Guam on a DPS boat while “another Governor Torres” was on the plane headed to Japan and the U.S.
Mendiola replied, “I am basing all my information on what I can recall and what is stated on these documents.”
The House committee is investigating the governor’s public expenditures that it considers questionable.
Department of Public Safety-Boating Safety boat captain, PO3 Adrian Mendiola, left, answers a question from the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations as his legal counsel, Anthony Aguon, right, looks on, during a hearing in the House chamber on Tuesday.
