Palace clueless on reason for Nora Aunor snub

Malacañang on Monday said it does not know the reason behind President Benigno Aquino III's decision to exclude superstar Nora Aunor from the list of newly proclaimed National Artists, noting the choice was for the chief executive to make.

 

"Was there grave abuse of discretion when the name of Ms. Nora Aunor was taken out? No, there was none. As to the reason for that, I’m not privy to the decision," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press briefing.

 

He issued the statement following criticism over how Aunor, who appeared in the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) list of nominees, was conspicuously absent from the list of new National Artists.

 

On Monday, Lacierda said he is aware of the theories behind what happened but said these will remain speculations.

 

"I’ve seen a number of speculations kesyo daw mga Vilmanians daw ayaw ang mga Noranians. Iyong mga ganoong klaseng mga speculations but these are all speculations," he said.

 

He likewise reiterated that while the NCCA's recommendation has a "persuasive nature," the final prerogative rests with the President.

 

"As far as we know, the President acted within the prerogative as laid down by the law and as laid down by the Supreme Court decision on the Almario case," he said.

 

Last year, the Supreme Court invalidated former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's 2009 order giving the National Artist Award to four personalities.

 

According to the petitioners, among them, National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, the four were not among the nominees shortlisted by the NCCA and the Cultural Center of the Philippines boards for 2009.

 

The high court said Arroyo gave "preferential treatment" to the four but said it was well within Arroyo's power and discretion to proclaim "all or some or even none of the recommendees of the CCP and NCCA boards" without having to justify his or her action.

 

"Ang sabi po ng ating Korte Suprema tungkol diyan ay the President may remove but he may not add to the list na hindi dumaan sa NCCA at saka sa CCP," Lacierda said. —KG, GMA News