DILG to coordinate with ICC to allow Rodrigo Duterte to take oath as Davao mayor

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday said it will ask the International Criminal Court (ICC) to allow former President Rodrigo Duterte to take oath as Davao City mayor while he is in detention in the Hague in the Netherlands.

In an ambush interview, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the Department recognizes that Duterte is the duly elected Davao City mayor in the May 2025 midterm polls.

“We recognize the victory of [former president Rodrigo Duterte]. Siya ang dineklara ng Comelec na mayor. Na-proclaim siya the day after elections. Overwhelming mandate. So we recognize him as the mayor,” he said.

(We recognize the victory of former president Rodrigo Duterte. He was declared mayor by the Comelec. He was proclaimed the day after elections. Overwhelming mandate. So we recognize him as the mayor.)

“Ang gagawin ko na lang magpapaalam ako sa ICC kung puwede pumunta ang consul natin para makapag-oath siya kasi kailangan mag-oath siya to assume office,” he added.

(What I will do is ask permission from the ICC if our consul can come to facilitate the oath-taking because he needs to take oath to assume office.

Remulla however noted that due to Duterte’s absence, the elected vice mayor, ex-president’s son Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, will take over in leading the city.

“In his absence, the vice mayor will be there…Kailangan physically present. So in his incapacity na hindi niya kayang magsilbi, ang vice mayor muna ang uupo doon,” he said.

(In his absence, the vice mayor will be there...He needs to be physically present. So in his incapacity that he cannot serve, the vice mayor will take over for the meantime.)

The former president was arrested in the Philippines by local authorities on March 11 based on a warrant of arrest issued by the ICC.

He is now in the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity for the extrajudicial killings during his administration's war on drugs.—AOL, GMA Integrated News