Should the Supreme Court sustain the Comelec and confirm the extension of the SOCE deadline, President-elect Duterte might be encouraged to seriously consider his earlier "promise" to remove unwanted and unhelpful elements in government and simplify the running of government.


The simplification of his inaugural appears to be but a first step. Instead of holding the inaugural at the Rizal Park, where past Presidents had held theirs, President-elect Duterte will hold his at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace, before a limited and controlled audience of 500 guests. He will be sworn into office by Associate Supreme Court Justice Bienvenido Reyes, a fraternity brother of the Lex Talionis Fraternitas at the San Beda College of Law, where they both studied law.


The choice of Reyes to administer the incoming President's oath of office is reported to have caused “palpitations” on the part of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, whom President B.S. Aquino 3rd pole-vaulted from the most junior position to her present post after he had the late former Chief Justice Renato Corona impeached and removed from office on one "non-impeachable" offense by paid members of the House and the Senate impeachment court. At the time Reyes, a 2011 Aquino appointee, was offered the chance to become Chief Justice, but he formally declined being included in the "short list" of nominees "out of respect for the senior justices".


Although Duterte has not hinted any moves against the Chief Justice, Sereno appears to entertain fears that what Aquino had done to Corona the new President might do to her, without his having to invent any valid grounds for her impeachment and removal the way Aquino invented grounds against Corona. It is not clear whether Sereno has been invited to the Duterte inaugural.


The Vice President is traditionally sworn into office together with the President, this will not happen this time. Even if the High Court resolves the SOCE issue in favor of the LP, and all legal obstacles to Leni Robredo taking her oath are withdrawn, the plan is for her to hold her own separate oath-taking somewhere else. We do not have the precise details as of now, but we can be sure it will not be held at the Quirino Grandstand, and neither Sereno nor any other SC justice will administer her oath. Regardless of the venue, according to reports, a barangay official from Caramoan, Camarines Sur, will do the honors.


The apparent motif is one of extreme simplicity, which should create the intended news headlines. But the barangay official concerned might not have the competent authority to administer the oath to the incoming Vice President, especially if he or she would perform the act in Metro Manila, far away from his or her territorial jurisdiction.


Sources: Various

Robredo to be sworn in by barangay official from Caramoan, Camarines Sur in own separate ceremony