THREE men served as CNMI governor last week and one of them, for the first time in commonwealth history, is from Tinian.
Senate Vice President Jose M. Dela Cruz, D-Tinian, became acting governor on Friday due to the off-island commitments of Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente and Senate President Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota.
“This is the first time that someone from Tinian became acting governor,” Dela Cruz told Variety.
“According to Article III, Section 8 of our Constitution, you are designated acting governor for the time being (that) the governor, the lieutenant governor and I are physically absent from the commonwealth,” Manglona said in a directive to Dela Cruz on Thursday.
Manglona was designated acting governor from June 26 to 27 by Benavente who took over as CNMI chief executive after Babauta left for the U.S.
Benavente headed for Palau early Wednesday morning to attend the annual solid waste management conference sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Dela Cruz said Manglona was on Guam for an official meeting Friday and was expected to return yesterday. Benavente became acting governor again upon his return on Saturday.
Though off-island for several working meetings with federal officials, Babauta has been keeping in touch with CNMI officials regarding government affairs.
On Friday, Babauta told Variety in a telephone interview that he would still meet several White House officials on issues concerning homeland security.
Babauta is expected to return to the CNMI later this week..
