Palace ‘reminds’ Aquino: 60% did not vote for you

After having its proposals ignored so far by President-apparent Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III, Malacañang sent him a reminder Saturday – that he still does not have the support of majority of Filipinos. Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar advised Aquino to reach out first to the 60 percent of the voters who did not vote for him, before “challenging" the institutions he believes were compromised under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration. “Legally he may be perfectly entitled. Under our rules plurality is enough pero politically and culturally huwag niya kalimutan na 60% did not vote for him and he has to reach out to the 60%," Olivar said on government-run dzRB radio. (Legally he may be entitled to take the actions he claims he would take. Under our rules, plurality is enough but politically and culturally he should remember he got only 40 percent of the votes. He has to reach out to the 60 percent.) He said Mrs. Arroyo has so far been “gracious" to Aquino, showing acts of goodwill such as setting up a mechanism to coordinate with his camp in ensuring a smooth transition of power. Aquino has yet to respond to Mrs. Arroyo’s overtures. He said that in past interviews he [Aquino] cannot be presumptuous and claim victory until after he is formally proclaimed. But Aquino also said he is now forming his Cabinet, and that he is preparing a committee to investigate the alleged irregularities under Mrs. Arroyo’s watch. On the other hand, he also rejected taking his oath of office on June 30 before Chief Justice Renato Corona, Mrs. Arroyo’s former chief of staff and spokesman. He said he may take his oath before a local village captain from his home province Tarlac. [See: Noynoy prefers to take oath before barangay chairman] “Grasyosa si Pangulong Arroyo. Sinabi niya I place my government at the disposal of the incoming president regardless of what the incoming president is planning to do with her. If her graciousness is not reciprocated, karapatan ng incoming kung gusto niya bastusin si outgoing president. He has the right to do what he wants (but) he has the responsibility to bear the consequences afterward," Olivar said. (Mrs. Arroyo has been gracious. She said she placed her government at the disposal of the incoming president regardless of what the incoming president plans to do with her. If her graciousness is not reciprocated it is the incoming president’s right, but he also has the responsibility to bear the consequences afterward.) Arroyo admin ready for Noynoy ‘tribunal’ Olivar maintained the Arroyo administration is ready to account for itself should Aquino push through with his tribunal to probe supposed scams and irregularities leveled against it. He said Mrs. Arroyo had long wanted a chance to explain her actions to “history, not just to surveys." “[So] bring it on, the administration welcomes the chance to make its case," Olivar said. Palace won’t challenge oath-taking plan Olivar also said the Palace will not challenge Aquino’s right to take his oath before a village chairman instead of Chief Justice Corona. “If he feels it is a statement he has to make... then that is his prerogative and we have to respect that," Olivar said, but added Filipinos also expect Aquino to follow the Constitution. “He does understand we have a right to expect him to understand his number one obligation under his oath is not just to the Filipino people but to the Constitution," he said. On the other hand, Olivar reminded Aquino to stay within the rules, saying Filipinos as well as foreign investors want a “rules-based society." He said Mrs. Arroyo played by the rules when she appointed Corona Chief Justice to replace Reynato Puno. Corona formally assumes his post this coming Monday. “If we disagree we have to change the rules first before we use them against someone," he said. Transition to push through Olivar said the transition process will continue with or without Aquino’s response. He said Aquino’s camp has so far not responded to the Palace’s proposals for coordination to ensure a smooth transition of power. All the Palace can do is to prepare transition reports and conduct an inventory of assets and get ready for any orientation in transition meetings, he said. — LBG, GMANews.TV