THE prehearing conference for the impeachment trial of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres set for Monday, March 21, was cancelled.
The Senate Special Committee on Impeachment was initially scheduled to convene for this prehearing conference on Wednesday, March 16, at 10 a.m. in the Senate chamber.
Rule 13 of the Senate Impeachment Rules for the 22nd CNMI Legislature states that the presiding hearing officer may order the impeachment prosecutor and the impeached official, or the impeached official’s legal counsel, to appear for a prehearing conference before the Senate or the committee.
This is in order to establish 1) a deadline for the submission of the House impeachment record, and any addition or exclusion thereof; 2) deadlines for the filing of motions, if any; 3) deadlines for any other matters appropriate before the Senate or committee; and 4) a date for the start of the impeachment hearings.
In this case, Sen. Karl King-Nabors is the presiding hearing officer and the impeached official is the governor.
House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, according to the Senate impeachment rules, is the impeachment prosecutor.
However, he has declined to serve in this capacity, stating that the rules are unconstitutional and that the House should be allowed to select its own impeachment managers.
For his part, King-Nabors said the special committee’s intent is to proceed with the issuance of deadlines pursuant to the impeachment rules of the Senate.
According to the rules, the chairperson of the House impeachment committee — in this case, House Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan T. Attao — will now serve as impeachment prosecutor.
The special committee has given Attao until 4 p.m., Monday, March 21, to file an appearance at the Senate clerk’s office.
If he fails to file and enter an appearance on or before this date and time, according to the Senate impeachment rules, the Senate president will then select a House member to serve as impeachment prosecutor.
The special committee has been tasked by Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider to look into House Resolution 22-14 which calls for the impeachment of the governor. The House adopted the resolution by a vote of 15 to 4 and 1 abstention on Jan. 12, 2022.
The governor has denied the allegations which are commission of felonies, corruption, and neglect of duty. He will be removed from office if at least six of the nine senators vote for his conviction.
The other members of the Senate special committee are Sens. Francisco Q. Cruz, Victor B. Hocog, and Teresita A. Santos.
Blas Jonathan T. Attao
