MANILA, (Reuters) – Philippine President Benigno  Aquino has fired nearly 1,000 officials appointed by his  predecessor during the presidential election period, although  he accepted the appointment of the Supreme Court Chief Justice  in May.

Aquino signed an executive order last week revoking 977  “midnight appointments” made by former president Gloria  Macapagal Arroyo after March 10, two months before national  elections, the government said yesterday.

“The sheer number of these appointments gives basis to the  opinion or to the belief that they were made for the purpose of  depriving the next president of the prerogative of making these  appointments,” Eduardo de Mesa, chief presidential legal  counsel, told a news conference at Malacanang Palace.

“They were made contrary to principle that within the  presidential election period, an outgoing administration must  act only as a caretaker administration.”

Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona kept his job,  despite Aquino having strongly criticised the appointment when  it was made soon after the May 10 election. At his  inauguration, Aquino decided to take his oath of office from  another judge.

Aquino’s first executive order after taking office on June  30 was to declare about 4,000 government positions  vacant, removing non-career and contractual workers to get rid  of people associated with the Arroyo government.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said most of the  officials appointed by Arroyo who held Cabinet, deputy Cabinet  and other executives of government agencies and corporations  had been removed since the new government was inaugurated on  June 30.