Special Assistant for Administration Oscar M. Babauta smiles as he leaves the courtroom after testifying in the bench trial of Chief of Parole Nick Reyes, who is accused of forging a government employment contract.
Chief of Parole Nick Masga Reyes, right, confers with his attorney, Matthew Holley, during a break from Reyes’s bench trial on Wednesday.
SPECIAL Assistant for Administration Oscar M. Babauta testified in the bench trial of Chief Parole Officer Nick Masga Reyes on Wednesday.
Reyes is accused of forging a government employment contract.
Babauta said his role as SAA is to clear personnel actions for the governor’s review and approval and send them to the appropriate agency.
He said he had reviewed the personnel action pertaining to Reyes and had talked to him about his employment with the Parole Office.
According to Babauta, in speaking with Reyes, the SAA learned about the internal communication between the chief of parole and the acting Parole Board chairperson, Lucinda Selepeo, regarding Reyes’s employment.
Because it was brought to his attention twice, Babauta said he talked to Gov. Arnold I. Palacios about the issue.
“I explained to the governor that because of the reluctance of the chairperson [to] approve…any subsequent personnel action…Reyes continued to work without due compensation. Personally, I think it was not fair,” Babauta said.
“The governor told me to take the necessary steps for the parole office to continue to operate…meaning I [should] exercise my authority as SAA, signing off on Reyes’s request for personnel action but only to the extent of approving [it] and not necessarily any amendments whatsoever,” Babauta added.
Asked about the stamp of the Office of Personnel Management on Reyes’s request for personnel action or RFPA, Babauta said, “Copies of the RFPAs go to OPM to make sure the person that they will engage to work is entered into the system to get paid. OPM will be the last office to officially engage the individual.”
Asked whether he made any changes to the routing documents accepted as exhibits, Babauta said, “I didn’t make changes to any contract.”
Babauta also testified that he learned about the animosity between the chief of parole and parole employees, and parole board members.
He said the CNMI Parole Office is under the governor’s office.
As SAA, Babauta said he addresses inter-department issues. “Sometimes one department does not want to meet face to face with another department, so I address that issue,” he added.
The Office of the Attorney General’s lead investigator, Ikluk Masayos, and Parole Officer Vince Taitano also testified on Wednesday.
The trial adjourned at 5:10 p.m. and will resume today, Thursday at 8 a.m. Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho is presiding over the case.
Reyes is represented by attorneys Joaquin Torres and Mathew Holley, while Assistant Attorneys General James Kingman, Lucia Blanco-Maratita and David Karch appeared for the government.
The prosecution is expected to call parole officers, parole board members, and a governor’s office staffer to the witness stand.
The OAG has charged Reyes with one count of misconduct in public office and four counts of forgery.
According to the OAG, Reyes forged a request for personnel action by changing the term of employment from 30 days to one year.
Reyes “completed, executed, authenticated, issued or transferred a writing that purported to be the act of another, to wit the Governor of the Commonwealth, who did not authorize the act,” the OAG stated.
