“THEIR loss is our gain,” said Sens. Pete P. Reyes and Ramon S. Guerrero yesterday as they welcomed Sen. David M. Cing to the minority bloc.
“We would like to personally welcome you into the leadership of the Senate minority of the 13th Legislature. We are very saddened to see a member of the Senate majority who stood by his beliefs, principles and integrity resign his post as the Senate’s vice president in order to maintain integrity, but at the same time, we are honored and pleased to welcome a member with such caliber to be a part of us,” the two senators told Cing in a letter.
Although they are the minority senators, Reyes, R-Saipan, and Guerrero, American Reform-Saipan, told Cing that they “truly represent the majority of the people of the commonwealth.”
The two senators also assured Cing, D-Tinian, that the minority block will be a “solid team of innovative integrity and transparency.”
Cing, in a letter, requested Senate President Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota, to “clarify and delineate” the responsibilities, duties, rights and privileges of the members of the minority.
He told Manglona that he would be able to better serve and represent his constituents’ interest if the leadership would issue the clarification. Reyes and Guerrero supported Cing’s move.
Guerrero, meanwhile, criticized the leadership after he was removed from the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigation.
Senate Floor Leader Joaquin G. Adriano, D-Tinian and the committee chairman, informed Manglona in a memorandum that the members of the committee are Senate Vice President Jose M. Dela Cruz, D-Tinian, Sens. Diego M. Songao, Covenant-Rota, and Thomas P. Villagomez, R-Saipan.
Guerrero complained about Adriano’s alleged failure to inform him that he would be dropped from the committee. He said this “is contrary to the Senate’s leadership call for unity.”
Adriano said he did not remove Guerrero from the committee.
“I only set up the new composition of the committee. He was from the old committee chaired by Senator Cing. As chairman, I have the prerogative to choose my members.”
Guerrero also lashed at Manglona for saying that the senators complaining about the leadership “started the chaos” by instigating a coup.
“The Senate president made a mistake when he said it. The person responsible for the coup attempt is now with them. Senator Reyes and I were never part of that other than being invited by the person who is now with the leadership” he said.
