In an apparent break with tradition, vice president-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio announced on May 16 that she plans to take her oath of office days ahead of June 30, the official start of the term for the next batch of Philippine officials.
Is this allowed under Philippine laws? Watch this video:
The swearing-in of former vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr. in February 2001, however, was a different case since he was appointed to the position after his predecessor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the presidency following the resignation of then-president Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
Editor’s note: This report was updated following the proclamation of vice president-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio on May 25, and also to include the video fact sheet.
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Sources
National Historical Commission of the Philippines, The History and Tradition of June 30: the Glitz and the Glamour of the Philippine Presidential Inauguration (by Quennie Ann J. Palafox), July 1, 2016
Davao City Disaster Radio Facebook page, Special Hours with Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, May 16, 2022
Official Gazette, 1987 Constitution
GMA News Online, Comelec affirms presumptive VP Sara Duterte could take oath before June 30, May 17, 2022
CNN Philippines, Comelec exec: Not illegal for winning candidates to take oath before June 30, May 17, 2022
Inquirer.net, Comelec: ‘No problem’ with Sara Duterte’s inauguration as VP ahead of June 30, May 17, 2022
Philippine News Agency, Sara Duterte may take oath ahead of June 30: Comelec, May 17, 2022
Personal communication (Email and text message), Christian Monsod, May 18, 2022
Personal communication (Email), Michael Yusingco, May 19, 2022
Inauguration of elected VPs post-1987
- Office of the Vice President, Inaugural Message of Vice President Leni Robredo, June 30, 2016
- RTVMalacañang, (Part 1 of 3) Farewell honors for PGMA and Oathtaking of PNoy, Sept. 12, 2011
- Manuel L. Quezon III: The Explainer, Briefing on the Inaugural (final update), June 19, 2010
Office of the Vice President, History, Accessed on May 19, 2022
Senate of the Philippines, Teofisto T. Guingona Jr., Accessed on May 19, 2022
Official Gazette, The Executive Branch (Vice President of the Philippines: History), Accessed on May 19, 2022
(Guided by the code of principles of the International Fact-Checking Network at Poynter, VERA Files tracks the false claims, flip-flops, misleading statements of public officials and figures, and debunks them with factual evidence. Find out more about this initiative and our methodology.)