Supreme Court chief to swear in Quezon City officials

MANILA, Philippines - Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona may not be swearing in the president-elect, but he is certain to be administering the oath to incoming elected officials of the Quezon City government on July 1, city hall authorities announced yesterday.

Taking their oath before Corona on July 1 are Vice Mayor and mayor-elect Herbert Bautista and vice mayor-elect Joy Belmonte, outgoing Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr.’s daughter.

The first day of July also marks the end of the third and last term of the elder Belmonte as mayor and the beginning of his three-year term as representative of Quezon City’s fourth congressional district. He will also take his oath before Corona.

In a statement released by the city government’s Public Affairs and Information Services Office, the oath-taking will be held at the Liwasang Aurora inside the Quezon Memorial Circle at around 8:30 a.m.

Corona will officiate at the oath-taking of the two officials, including Quezon City’s congressmen in the four districts.

The Liberal Party made a clean sweep of the congressional positions and of the two top local executive positions in the recently concluded elections in the city.

Corona will also swear in congressmen-elect Vincent Crisologo of District 1, Winston Castelo of District 2, and Jorge “Bolet” Banal Jr. of District 3.

The 24 elected councilors of the Quezon City will be also inducted en masse on the same day.

The elected District 1 councilors are Francisco Calalay, Anthony Crisologo, Ricardo Belmonte Jr., Joseph Juico, Alex Herrera, and Dorothy Delarmente.

Councilors-elect Mari Grace Castelo, Alfred Vargas, Eden Delilah Medina, Julienne Alyson Rae Medalla, Godofredo Liban and Roderick Paulate represent District 2.

In District 3, the elected councilors are Julian Coseteng, Allan Reyes, Jaime Borres, Gian Carlo Sotto, Jose Mario de Leon and Eufemio Lagumbay.

Those from District 4 are councilors-elect Edcel Lagman Jr., Jesus Suntay, Jessica Daza, Raquel Malañgen, Vincent Eric Belmonte and Marvin Rillo.

The oath-taking of Quezon City local officials will be held after the street party for president-elect Benigno Simeon Aquino III on June 30 at the Quezon Memorial Circle.