All set for oath-taking today as 17th president
PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said all doubts about his qualification as a presidential candidate have been cleared after the Supreme Court dismissed disqualification petitions against him.
Marcos is set to take his oath today as 17th president of the country at the National Museum in Manila.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday voted 13-0 in dismissing petitions for the cancellation of Marcos’ certificate of candidacy and for his disqualification filed by civic leaders and martial law survivors. The petitions stemmed from Marcos’ conviction for failing to file his income tax returns (ITRs) from 1982 until 1985.
“That removes all the questions that they have raised as to my qualification to run for President,” Marcos said on Tuesday night in an interview in Cebu City, during oath-taking and thanksgiving ceremonies of the One Cebu party headed by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
“We knew it was coming. We didn’t know it would come now. We can now proceed without that in the back of our heads,” he also said.
Marcos’ lawyer Estelito Mendoza, in an interview with ANC yesterday they have “foreseen” the decision because the petitions were without merit.
“Now that belief has been vindicated by the 13-0 vote,” he said.
George Briones, legal counsel of Marcos’ party the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, said the High Court vindicated the party’s position that Marcos was under no disqualification to run for president and did not lie in his certificate of candidacy.
ALL SET
Incoming Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles yesterday said all is set for the inauguration today which will start with the traditional meeting of the outgoing president and his successor in Malacañang before the oath taking at the inaugural venue.
Marcos will sign the Malacañang guest book before meeting with President Duterte.
Duterte will be accorded full military departure honors.
A press release issued by the Marcos camp said the incoming and outgoing presidents will board separate cars en route to the inauguration venue but it is not yet clear if Duterte will attend the inauguration or proceed to Davao City instead.
Records show only three presidents attended the inaugural of their successors – Sergio Osmeña in 1946, Corazon Aquino in 1992, and Fidel Ramos in 1988.
At the National Museum, the inauguration ceremony will start with the singing of the Philippine National Anthem, followed by an ecumenical/ interfaith prayer.
A 30-minute civic-military parade will be held, followed by the reading of a joint resolution of Congress before the administration of Marcos’ oath of office at noon.
Marcos will then deliver an inaugural address, to be followed by the vin d’honneur.
‘TRADITIONAL’ INAUGURATION
Angeles declined to say how long Marcos’ speech will be and what it will focus on. She also declined to say where Marcos and his family will stay after the inauguration.
She said Marcos’ inauguration will be “very traditional and solemn” which is what the President-elect wants.
After the ceremony at the National Museum, Marcos will proceed to Malacañang for the arrival honors and mass oath-taking of his designated Cabinet secretaries.
An inaugural dinner will follow while a “people’s thanksgiving concert” on Mendiola, Manila will also be held.
Cris Villonco and the Young Voices of the Philippines choir will sing “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” during the inaugural while the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and world renowned pianist Cecile Licad will perform at the thanksgiving concert.
ATTIRE
For his inauguration, Marcos will wear a modern Barong Tagalog inspired by the rayadillo – the traditional military uniform in the Spanish era — while a “fully-embroidered barong from Taal” will be worn in the evening.
Both suits were designed by Pepito Albert who also designed the barong of presidential sons Sandro, Simon and Vince, former First Lady Imelda, and presidential sister Irene Marcos-Araneta. Sen. Imee Marcos chose a different designer for her outfit.
Incoming First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos will wear a “terno” made of piña fabric and designed by Filipino Lesley Mobo. The President and the First Lady will be wearing Philippine-made shoes.
HEALTH PROTOCOLS
With thousands expected to attend the inauguration or stage protest actions at three designated parks in Manila, and amid the increasing number of new COVID cases, the Department of Health asked the public to strictly observe the minimum public health standards against COVID-19.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the public should keep in mind that the virus remains a threat.
“Let us always remember that it in attending important events such as these, we must remain vigilant and aware and strictly adhere to the health protocols,” she said.
By this, she said, people should always wear their masks properly, wash their hands regularly, bring hand sanitizers, and maintain physical distancing.
Vergeire said attendees should make sure that they are fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19.
The designated freedom parks are Plaza Miranda, Plaza Dilao, and the Liwasang Bonifacio.
DELEGATIONS
US Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff arrived in Manila Tuesday night for the inauguration and was welcomed by US Embassy chargé d’affaires ad interim Heather Variava.
Variava said Emhoff, who is on his first trip to the Philippines, will also meet with Filipino alumni of various US government exchange programs.
Emhoff, husband of US Vice President Kamala Harris, heads the US delegation to the inauguration.
Emhoff said the US is looking forward to working with the Marcos administration and expressed belief the ties between the two countries will be further enhanced.
“The United States is very much looking forward to working with the Marcos administration on a variety of issues and we will continue to move this relationship forward into the future,” Emhoff told reporters in an interview in Taguig City.
Emhoff also cited people-to-people relationship among Americans and Filipinos as among the bonds that further boost ties.
Emhoff also met with Vice President-elect Sara Duterte Carpio.
He was accompanied by Variava and other members of the US delegation including Filipino-American Rep. Robert “Bobby” Scott.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila said China’s second highest official will attend Marcos’ inauguration.
Citing information provided by its Foreign Ministry, it said said President Xi Jinping is sending his vice president, Wang Qishan, to the event.
“As the special representative for President Xi Jinping, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan will attend the inauguration ceremony for the Philippines’ president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr on June 30,” the embassy said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa “will be the special envoy” of the Japanese government to Marcos’ inauguration, Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko said in a tweet.
Other foreign delegations are also expected to attend the inauguration.
POPE’S PRAYERS
Pope Francis offered prayers for Marcos Jr as he assumes the highest post in the land.
In a message sent through Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown, the Pope said, “I send my congratulations and cordial wishes to Your Excellency as you begin your mandate as the President of the Republic.”
“I’m assuring you of my prayers that you will be sustained in wisdom and strength. I invoke Almighty God’s blessings of peace and prosperity upon the nation,” he also said.
Pope Francis’ statement comes weeks after Brown met with Marcos. According to Brown, the incoming Marcos administration has expressed its willingness to work with the Catholic Church.
The social action arm of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) vowed to have a “principled cooperation” with the Marcos administration.
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, national director of Caritas Philippines, said by “principled cooperation,” the Church is ready to work on initiatives that will respect the rights and dignity of the Filipino people.
“The Church’s social action arm will support programs that honor the rule of law and history,” he added.
Bagaforo also said the Church is prepared to criticize the government if it fails to meet its mandate and campaign promises.
“We shall make the government more accountable to its people, through our post-election accountability program, to hold all elected officials liable for all their election promises,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec), through acting spokesman John Rex Laudiangco, said the SC decision “is a testament to the commitment of this Commission to the rule of law and it’s faithfulness to our constitutional mandate.”
The decision, among others, said the Comelec “rightfully upheld” the validity of Marcos’ certificate of candidacy.
Former Comelec chief Saidamen Pangarungan also welcomed the SC ruling on the Comelec’s decision originally promulgated under his watch.
He said this again shows how the Commission, under his leadership, was able to hold a “fair and credible” electoral exercise last May 9.
“I personally view the Supreme Court’s concurrence to our legal reasoning as another feather in the Comelec’s proverbial cap for the 2022 National and Local Elections,” he said.
“Because of this, we can now truly say that there are no more impediments to the assumption of President Marcos as President of the Philippines,” he added. — With Ashzel Hachero and Gerard Naval
