Twenty-four hours after the media was muted for not playing by Adelup's rules, the governor's Chief of Staff Tony Babauta resigned.

Babauta was at the center of controversy after a supposed one night stay at the Pacific Star Resort and Spa, the Government of Guam's mandatory quarantine facility. His resignation follows a whirlwind of controversy leading to muting reporters at the governor's latest press conference and calls becoming louder from the community as a whole for transparency and accountability. 

Today KUAM joined more than 140 media organizations across the country in signing the National Freedom of Information Coalition’s call for government transparency. 

It comes as others in the community shared their concerns about the government's questionable muting. 

Sen. Joe S. San Agustin:  Any question they want they should be able to get an answer, that should have been very simple

Dr. Thomas Shieh: That's a straight forward question if you have nothing to hide, you can just answer that question, you don't need to cut the reporter off and then cut them off again. 

Mike Ysrael: All of those zoom videos, she has the mute button she doesn't let the people talk.

On Thursday KUAM and other local media continued to press Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero about why her then-chief of staff was allowed to stay at the government's quarantine facility at the Pacific Star: How long he was allowed to stay? Was he tested for COVID-19? And what is the governor's response to those who might find it questionable? Additionally, a question was also asked about the status of federal assistance. 

But when the questions didn't come with Janela Carrera's approval, the media was censored.

Carrera, the governors' communications director told reporters only questions on the plan would be entertained. She pressed the mute button on KUAM and did not allow a follow-up question, with the people of Guam’s concerns left in the dark.

Adriana Cortero: Hi everyone governor, according to documents obtained by KUAM, the Pacific Star Hotel charged Public Health $544,600 for the use of 389 hotel rooms for two weeks from March 23 to April 5, meaning at that rate, Public Health will have paid over $1.6 million for the use of the hotel for the last six weeks. We also know by researching your’s and lt. governor’s campaign finance documents through the Guam Election Commission that the family who owns Pacific Star donated thousands of dollars to your campaign, this giving the appearance of political favoritism. Public Auditor BJ Cruz also tells KUAM News that emergency procurement during this pandemic is something he'll be looking very closely at... (MUTED) Hi. I wasn’t finished.

Carrera: Go ahead keep going.

Cotero: How would you answer critics who say politics is playing a part in procurement during this public health emergency? 

Carrera: OK Adriana, as I said your questions need to stay relevant to the topic at hand we are going to go to the next media.

The daily press briefing is the one opportunity reporters have to seek answers from the governor, and her team together. Per the island leader’s regulations, media is allowed one question and one follow-up, and then are immediately muted. 

KUAM has asked Carrera for a response on GovGuam’s censorship of the media? 

“You were not censored," she said. "You were permitted to finish asking your question. As I previously stated multiple times, questions outside of the recovery plan would be addressed after the press conference which is exactly why I have done above. This concludes my statement. Thank you.” 

Following KUAM requested for the governor to come on our i94FM Containing COVID morning report, however, that was also a muted matter.

Carrera confirmed other government staff members were also allowed to spend nights at the hotel. She says the quarantine facility is managed on a 24/7 basis with two to three staffers working the site at any given point during the 24/7 period, are provided a room to rest. 

Carrera also denied KUAM’s request this morning to join our interactive segment. 

Ricky Hernandez, who's helping lead the economic recovery plan, however, did call into the morning show. Host Chris Barnett asked his opinion on the lack of transparency. 

Barnett: Yes or no do you support how the media was censored yesterday? 

Hernandez: In terms of censorship in terms of providing an outlet for the media to have responded or to hear of the plans the administration has, whether or not its recovery or whether or not it’s a previous press conference that they have been having, the access to the administration is...

Barnett: It’s limited, it’s very limited.

Today GovGuam canceled their daily press briefing, but Adelup said Tony Babauta resigned for personal reasons. The governor thanked him for all his hard work and announced her deputy Jon Junior Calvo will take over the position in an acting capacity.