Committee on Ways and Means chairman Sen. Mark Rudimch said the funding should be enough to staff the office while President Johnson Toribiong decide on the Special Prosecutor matter.
The Senate did not cut the budget office of the Special Prosecutor. THe Senate increased the budget by 20 percent from the presidential version. At this time, we do not have an SP,” Rudimch said.
Rudimch added that there is a Senate resolution that requests for the president to offer a candidate for that position in the soonest possible time.
In last week special session however, Sens. Adalbert Eledui, Surangel Whipps Jr, Reynold Oilouch and Tommy Remenegsau wanted to discuss the matter on the floor, the other senators however rejected the move.
President Toribiong is proposing a legislation phasing out the Office of the Special Prosecutor by 2013, a year after he is out of office.
Earlier a Senate joint resolution has been introduced asking the president to immediately appoint or expedite the appointment of a Special Prosecutor.
Sens. Surangel Whipps Jr. and Raynold Oilouch authored the resolution stating that there is an urgency to fill in the position because the office plays an important role in ensuring that high government officials perform their duties and responsibilities in full compliance with the law.
The president in earlier interviews said he is considering phasing out the Special Prosecutor Office in two years time and instead a temporary one will be appointed through a case by case basis.
The lawmakers however said this could be dangerous at it will undermine the independence and integrity of the office.
The office is left vacant for months now.
The president also justified discontinuing the office due to the feud between the former SP Michael Copeland and the members of the Attorney General’s Office.
He said the SP’s cases can be handled by the AGO and that the OSP cost too much money but produces too little.
The president said that by June, 2013 an Independent Prosecutor will be appointed to investigate violations of criminal law by certain elected and appointed officials and that to avoid suspicions, the Trial Division of the Supreme Court will appoint the independent prosecutor.
In the president’s proposed Fiscal Year 2011 budget, he earmarked only $100,000 for the office.
The HOD’s version however strongly stated the need for the office.
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