Acting CJ Carpio confirms attendance in Duterte’s SONA

Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio has confirmed his attendance in President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 23.

“I am attending to represent the judiciary," Carpio told GMA News Online.

House Secretary General Cesar Pareja earlier in the day said that the acting Chief Justice had “declined or they sent their regrets."

"I declined before [former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes] Sereno was removed," Carpio said.

According to a report on "24 Oras", Carpio's staff received the invitation before Sereno was ousted from the post.

Pareja had also said that former President Benigno Aquino III already sent his regrets.

Vice President Leni Robredo, however, confirmed her attendance. Pareja said a holding room is being prepared for her.

To accommodate guests, the House of Representatives has doubled the capacity of its session hall.

Fixed seating capacity is at 1,500 but 1,500 monobloc chairs will be added.

“We’re still having problems with the guests that are still asking to be included. As we said, we can only accept the maximum amount that we projected of 3,000,” Pareja said.

Pareja is worried that if more than 3,000 guests will be accommodated in the session hall, “it might be too congested. And we have to look into also the safety features that we have to follow.”

Pareja added the President is expected to sign the Bangsamoro Basic Law during Monday’s joint session. It is not yet clear though if the President will do it during his speech or afterwards. — with a report from Tina Panganiban-Perez/RSJ/NB, GMA News