DILG Eyes Unprecedented Oath-Taking for Duterte Amid ICC Detention

PCI

It included one item covering the period when Duterte was mayor of Davao City and 15 items covering the barangay (village) clearance operations in the country when he was president. (Photo: ICC via PNA)

In an unprecedented move, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is seeking the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) approval to allow a Philippine embassy official to administer the oath of office to former president Rodrigo Duterte, recently elected as Davao City mayor, despite his ongoing detention in The Hague.

The situation highlights an interesting political issue: a former national leader who faces international scrutiny for alleged human rights violations is now set to regain a local position after a big electoral win. Duterte received over 662,000 votes in the midterm elections on May 12, defeating former Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles by a large margin.

DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed the department’s recognition of Duterte’s win. “We recognize the victory of former president [Duterte]… Overwhelming mandate,” he stated during a press briefing, noting that the former president had been officially proclaimed a day after the polls.

The situation presents a diplomatic and legal tightrope. Duterte would take his oath while in ICC custody, creating a rare mix of local authority and international law. For now, Davao City’s leadership stays familiar, with Sebastian Duterte, the current mayor and the former president’s son, acting as mayor temporarily.

This situation raises important questions about how people’s choices in elections relate to global standards for accountability. This is especially true as the Philippines deals with the effects of Duterte’s controversial war on drugs, which is at the center of the ICC proceedings.