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Noynoy formally invites Corona other justices to inauguration


President-elect Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III has already formally invited Chief Justice Renato Corona and other justices of the Supreme Court to attend his inauguration on June 30. Aquino said he has instructed a team to send invitations to all offices of the three branches of government, saying they are “co-equal" and should be extended the proper courtesy. “I would assume all the members of co-equal branches of government would be invited… Invitations will be delegated to the protocol office who I am sure will know whom to invite," he said in an interview on Thursday night.
Aquino, who is set to take his oath of office at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila next Wednesday, however said that he did not issue a personal invitation to Corona. The president-elect said that he is too busy completing his Cabinet to send personal invitations to certain guests. “Kanya-kanyang toka sa trabaho para sa inauguration. Sa akin, pagbuo ng Cabinet, maghanda sa June 30 afternoon. We’re supposed to already give them marching orders. Yan ang primary ko," he said. (We divided the work of preparing for the inauguration. Mine is to form the Cabinet, prepare for June 30 afternoon. We’re supposed to already give them marching orders. That’s my primary task.) Aquino chose to defy tradition by deciding not to get the incumbent Chief Justice to swear him in. He opted instead to take his oath of office before Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales. The president-elect has repeatedly said in the past he will not recognize Corona’s appointment as chief justice, insisting that it is covered by the constitutional ban on appointments to government posts two months before the President leaves office. The high court, whose 14 associate justices were appointed by outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, however ruled that the constitutional ban on midnight appointments does not cover the judiciary, and applies only to the executive branch. (See: Supreme Court allows Arroyo to appoint next chief justice) Carpio-Morales was the lone dissenter in this SC ruling, saying that the ban on midnight appointment applies to all three branches of government. Corona’s attendance uncertain Court spokesperson and administrator Jose Midas Marquez however said that Corona and the other justices’ attendance in the inauguration remains uncertain. Marquez said the justices only received their invitations on Friday afternoon. He added that Corona and the rest of the justices might have other appointments on Wednesday, so he could not say whether they would accept the invitation and attend the inauguration. Corona said in an earlier interview that he has not yet considered whether or not to attend Aquino’s inaugural since he has not yet been invited in the first place.—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV

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