Why separate inaugurations?

WHY A separate inauguration? So she’ll get the celebration she deserves.

The camp of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte made this clarification of its preference not hold a joint inauguration with incoming Vice President Leni Robredo, saying it was not a snub but a decision reached out of consideration for her and her supporters.

In a statement, Duterte’s special assistant Christopher Go, also a member of the inaugural committee, said the incoming President’s choice of having austere celebrations with a limited number of guests may be an unfair imposition on Robredo.

Duterte will take his oath at Malacañang on June 30, the first President in recent memory to begin his six-year term at the official residence. Philippine presidents usually hold inaugurations at Quirino Grandstand, allowing the public to take part in the rites.

“As promised during the campaign period, his inaugural celebration will be a simple yet meaningful one, consistent with his principles on austerity. This is also intended to cause the least disruption to the public,” Go said in a statement sent to reporters late Wednesday night.

“This imposition will not be fair to Leni as the limited slots would restrict her prerogative to invite more guests and supporters as a good number of the slots are to be allotted for members of Congress, judiciary and to the diplomatic corps,” he said.

He said Robredo’s family and supporters “who worked hard for her” deserve to be in attendance during her inauguration “to celebration her victory.”

“And this can only be possible through a separate inauguration,” he said.

Boyet Dy, who heads Robredo’s transition team, said early Wednesday that plans for a joint inauguration had been scrapped after the Duterte team informed them of their preference for separate rites.

He said the Robredo team respects Duterte’s wishes and “will begin our own preparations for a simple and modest ceremony.”

“The ceremony will be conducted in Metro Manila, where Vice President-elect Leni Robredo wishes to be sworn in by Capt. Ronaldo Coner of Brgy. Punta Tarawal, Calabanga, the smallest, farthest and poorest barangay in Camarines Sur,” Dy said.