Vice President-elect Leni Robredo thanks her peers and supporters after her proclamation. RICHARD A. REYES/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
A congressman who authored the law allowing the oath of office before a barangay captain lauded the show of humility of Vice President-elect Leni Robredo in her plan to be sworn in by the country鈥檚 most basic chief executive.
In a statement on Friday, Camarines Sur Rep. Salvio Fortuno said Robredo鈥檚 plan to be sworn in by punong barangay聽Ronaldo Coner of Barangay Punta Tarawal, Calabanga,聽or the poorest barangay in Camarines Sur,聽showed Robredo鈥檚 simplicity and humility.
鈥淏y choosing the punong barangay to administer oath of office to her, VP Robredo recognizes their importance in the delivery of frontline government services to our people even as she avoids the pomp and pageantry of the ceremony. Her simplicity and humility really precede her persona,鈥� said Fortuno, who was also a congressman in Robredo鈥檚 home province聽Camarines Sur. Robredo was also a聽Camarines Sur congresswoman before she won as vice president.
Fortuno is the main author of Republic Act 10755, which聽amended Executive Order No. 292 or the Administrative Code of 1987 to allow punong barangays to administer the oath of聽public officials, including the President of the Philippines.
READ: DOJ: President taking oath before barangay chairman OK
President Benigno Aquino III signed the law聽on March 29.
Other officials authorized to administer oaths are:聽President, Vice President, members and secretaries of both Houses of Congress, members of the Judiciary, secretaries of departments, provincial governors and lieutenant-governors, city mayors, municipal mayors, bureau directors, regional directors, clerks of courts, registrars of deeds, other civilian officers in the public service of the government of the Philippines whose appointments are vested in the President and are subject to confirmation by the Commission on Appointments, all other constitutional officers, and notaries public.
Fortuno made the statement after the camp of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said he wanted separate inauguration rites from Robredo.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte does not want joint inauguration with Robredo鈥揤P鈥檚 camp
Duterte鈥檚 camp clarified that this was not intended to snub Robredo as vice president but only to allow her to invite more guests in her inauguration.
搁贰础顿:听Separate rites to allow Leni to invite more guests 鈥� Rody camp
Duterte wanted to take his oath of office in Malaca帽ang in a simple ceremony as a show of fulfilling his vow of austerity in government. JE/rga