Solon lauds Leni’s choice to take oath before barangay captain

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’s most basic chief executive.

In a statement on Friday, Camarines Sur Rep. Salvio Fortuno said Robredo’s plan to be sworn in by punong barangay Ronaldo Coner of Barangay Punta Tarawal, Calabanga, or the poorest barangay in Camarines Sur, showed Robredo’s simplicity and humility.

“By 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,” said Fortuno, who was also a congressman in Robredo’s home province Camarines Sur. Robredo was also a Camarines Sur congresswoman before she won as vice president.

Fortuno is the main author of Republic Act 10755, which amended Executive Order No. 292 or the Administrative Code of 1987 to allow punong barangays to administer the oath of public officials, including the President of the Philippines.

READ: DOJ: President taking oath before barangay chairman OK

President Benigno Aquino III signed the law on March 29.
Other officials authorized to administer oaths are: 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.

READ: Duterte does not want joint inauguration with Robredo–VP’s camp

Duterte’s 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.
READ: Separate rites to allow Leni to invite more guests – Rody camp

Duterte wanted to take his oath of office in Malacañang in a simple ceremony as a show of fulfilling his vow of austerity in government. JE/rga