Noynoy on oath-taking: If not barangay chair, then Carpio-Morales

If he can't be sworn in by his barangay captain, leading presidential candidate Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III would like his oath-taking to be administered by Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales. Aquino made the statement Thursday night as he maintained that he does not want Chief Justice Renato Corona, whose appointment by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been the subject of controversy, to swear him in as the country's next president. When asked at a press conference whether he was open to being sworn in by any associate justice of the Supreme Court, Aquino answered in the affirmative, saying he would like his oath-taking to be administered by "the one who voted against the chief justice issue." Carpio-Morales was the lone dissenter in the Supreme Court's decision to allow President Arroyo to appoint the replacement of erstwhile chief justice Reynato Puno, who retired May 17.

"I'm inclined to her if she will accept it. Pareho yung pananaw namin (We have the same views)," Aquino said. Aquino, who maintains that an incumbent president is constitutionally banned to make appointments during the election season, had earlier said that he would rather be sworn in by the captain of Brgy. Central in Tarlac City where he is a registered voter than by Corona. On Thursday, however, Aquino said his camp is studying his previous option as barangay captains might not be legally authorized to administer the oath-taking of the president. "Pag tinignan niyo po kasi yung Local Government Code, inenumerate dun yung powers and responsibilities ng barangay captain, wala dun yung authority (If you look at the Local Government Code, the powers and responsibilities of the barangay captain is enumerated there, administering the oath-taking of the president is not within his authority)," he said. Aquino on Thursday night attended a thanksgiving celebration thrown by PiNoy Lawyers, a group of lawyers who guarded votes and served as the legal arm of Aquino and his running-mate Senator Manuel Roxas II during the elections. Although Congress has yet to convene for the canvassing of votes for president and vice president, Aquino is the presumed winner of the presidential elections as he enjoys a five-million lead over his closest rival, former president Joseph Estrada, in the partial and unofficial tally of more than 90 percent of election returns. - KBK, GMANews.TV