Over the last few days, Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, and his only staffer, former Rep. Manny Borja, had to work in what is now the office of new Speaker Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan.
Cabrera, for his part, has to use the conference room as his “office.”
Tenorio’s documents and office equipment are temporarily stored in Cabrera’s office.
On Wednesday, he instructed Borja to move their things to his new office but this could not be done because the staffers of Rep. Teresista A. Santos did not move out.
Santos, Ind.-Rota, was kicked out of the House leadership by then-Speaker Tenorio for voting with the minority bloc during the budget deliberations a few months ago.
With Cabrera now the speaker, Rep. Joseph M. Palacios, a Saipan Republican who is also aligned with the leadership, has moved into Cabrera’s former office.
Tenorio is supposed to move into Santos’ office. The Rota lawmaker will move into Palacios’ former office.
Santos said Cabrera should have formally informed her about her new office assignment.
Tenorio, in an interview yesterday, said Santos was supposed to vacate her office more than three months ago when she ceased to be a member of the leadership.
“She never did,” Tenorio added. “So she can’t complain. I’m sorry but what she said in the newspaper is nonsense because she was supposed to move to the minority side after I took away the chairmanship from her and she was no longer part of the House leadership.”
Tenorio said he instructed her to move out of her office so Palacios could move in.
Yesterday morning, Cabrera talked to Santos who told him she was moving out of her office tomorrow.
“She asked me if she can move out on Saturday but she’s going to need the assistance of Legislative Bureau. I told her I can get my boys to get over here and help,” Cabrera said.
