Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo will administer the oath of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the latter’s inauguration at the National Museum on June 30.
“We shall abide by the tradition, the Supreme Court Chief Justice, the Hon. Alexander Gesmundo,” incoming Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez said in a Viber message on Friday.
This came a day after Zenaida Angping, who will head the Presidential Management Staff, said the inaugural committee had already conducted an ocular inspection of the National Museum in Manila and found it as “a suitable venue” for Marcos’ inauguration.
Angping said the Quirino Grandstand was also considered for Marcos’ inauguration but she said there were still several COVID-19 facilities in the area.
“The safety and welfare of our people are paramount. As such, we chose to avoid disrupting the medical care being given to the COVID-19 patients housed there. That’s why we opted for the National Museum as the venue,” she said.
The Quirino Grandstand served as the venue for the oath taking of former President Ferdinand Marcos on Dec. 30, 1965, and on Dec. 30, 1969, after his reelection. —Nestor Corrales