Duterte team inspects Palace for turnover rites

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A four-man team from the mayor’s office visited Malacañang yesterday to conduct an inspection for the inauguration of incoming president Rodrigo Duterte on June 30.

Peter Laviña, spokesman for Duterte’s transition team, said the group met with representatives of Malacañang Protocol Office and returned immediately to this city in the evening.

“They will propose activities and options (for the inauguration rites) and present them to the incoming president,” Laviña said in a press briefing here.

He reiterated that the inauguration would be a simple ceremony outside the Palace.

On Thursday, Laviña said Duterte had ordered the inaugural team to ensure that his assumption rites would be simple.

“The number of invited people will be limited. It will be a simple oath-taking and maybe an inaugural speech and oath-taking of members of the Cabinet and immediately, everyone goes to work,” Laviña.

Victory party

Meanwhile, two weeks after the May 7 miting de avance of Duterte at the Burnham Green section of Rizal Park in Manila, his supporters will again occupy the area tonight to celebrate his victory.

The group Maharlikang Balangay is hosting a free concert, and its members hope to surpass the reported 1.3 million crowd that attended Duterte’s miting de avance.

The event, which will start at 5 p.m. and last until midnight, will be shown through live stream on YouTube.

“This is a victory for the Filipino people because we won. We chose to vote for someone from the heart,” the group told The STAR.

The Maharlikang Balangay said the concert is a tribute to the solidarity, nationalism and courage of the Filipino people.

Maharlika Balangay, headed by surgeon Hildegardes Dineros, said they have invited Duterte to attend the event.

“Just like birthday parties, you cannot have a birthday party without the celebrant,” the group said on its Facebook account.

Arnel Ignacio will host the event, titled “Panalo ng Pagkakaisa ng mga Pilipino.”

Musical bands and singers like Sponge Cola, Slapshock, Aiza Seguerra and the duo Moymoy Palaboy will be among the performers.

Invited to tonight’s gathering are 2,500 street dwellers from Manila, Pasay City and Quezon City.

“We will be issuing food stubs to our guests so they will be given free food and drinks,” Maharlikang Balangay said.  – With Evelyn Macairan