INTERNATIONAL Criminal Court lawyer Nicholas Kaufman declined to comment on the oath-taking of former President Rodrigo Duterte as the new mayor of Davao City, stating that such matters are being handled by Filipino lawyers.
“I’m not gonna talk about oath-taking or anything that’s a legal question which has been handled by his Filipino lawyers,” he told reporters outside Duterte’s detention cell in The Hague.
Kaufman’s remarks indicate a clear demarcation of responsibilities within Duterte’s legal team, with local legalities and procedures, including the mayoral oath, falling under the purview of his Philippine-based counsel.
Even though he is detained at The Hague, Duterte’s return to local politics as Davao City mayor marks a significant shift from his six-year term in Malacañang.
Vice President Sara Duterte confirmed this as she said that her father’s lawyers are handling the logistics for his oath.
“They’re working on it, and I don’t think they have an answer right now. But I am sure they will provide an update in the coming days, before noon on June 30,” the vice president confirmed in an interview on May 17.
This situation presents a unique challenge, given that Duterte remains detained at the ICC Detention Centre in The Hague, Netherlands, facing charges of crimes against humanity related to his administration’s “war on drugs.” His confirmation of charges hearing is provisionally scheduled for Sept. 23.
In light of the former president’s continued detention, Vicky Sarcena, Department of the Interior and Local Government-Davao director, said that if Duterte could not take his oath, vice mayor-elect Sebastian Duterte would assume the role of acting mayor.
