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Duterte to temporarily occupy the office of Davao City Mayor

Duterte set to assume role as Davao City mayor, with councilor Duterte serving as vice mayor, following Rodrigo Duterte's ICC arrest. Oath-taking anticipated.

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Duterte designated as Davao City mayor; councilor to assume role as vice mayor, following Rodrigo...
Duterte designated as Davao City mayor; councilor to assume role as vice mayor, following Rodrigo Duterte's ICC detention. Awaiting swearing-in ceremony.

Duterte to temporarily occupy the office of Davao City Mayor

In a surprising turn of events, Vice Mayor-elect Sebastian "Baste" Duterte is stepping up as the acting mayor of Davao City, while his pops, Mayor-elect Rodrigo Duterte, remains in the clutches of The Hague's International Criminal Court (ICC). With the old man locked up in the Netherlands, the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Davao City (DILG-Davao City) has moved swiftly to ensure the city doesn't miss a beat.

According to DILG-Davao City Director Vicky Sarcena, Mayor-elect Duterte and other brainiacs were officially crowned on Tuesday, but they can't take their oath and officially assume office just yet. Sarcena explained why, "Look, old man Duterte needs to take that oath in person, no Zoom business, sorry." So, what's Babe Duterte's role in all this? Well, he'll be holding down the fort as acting mayor until the old man takes his oath. As for the Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council), the big cheese councilor steps up as acting vice mayor. Sarcena dropped this juicy bit during an interview on GMA Super Radio Davao on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

Meanwhile, Senator Chiz Escudero hinted that the ol' man might still manage to take his oath of office via a Philippine consular office in the Netherlands. Escudero added that a consular official could even pay the old man a visit in his cozy cell to administer the oath.

So, what on earth got the old man locked up in the first place? Well, the ICC has had it in for him since March 11, 2025, slapping him with charges related to crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his presidency. The City Board of Canvassers officially proclaimed him the Mayor-elect of Davao City after pocketing a whopping 662,630 votes, besting competitors Karlo Alexie Nograles and Bishop Rod Cubos.

VP Sara Duterte spilled the beans on May 12 about their legal team's discussions regarding a three-pronged approach for Papa Duterte to take that oath. Details, however, remain under wraps for now. The team is racing against time to have the oath administered before June 30, the official start of the new term for local officials. But, the specifics of the oath-taking ceremony are still up in the air, and they'll likely involve some extensive negotiations with the ICC and other legal eagles.

[1] Rodrigo Duterte's Legal Team Mulls Options for Oath-Taking amid ICC Detention[2] Sara Duterte on Potential Ways for Father to Take Oath[3] Local Government Code: Acting Mayor during Absence of Regular Mayor[4] The Power Transfer in Davao City: Baste Duterte as Acting Mayor[5] Time's A-Tickin': Oath-Taking Must Be Completed by June 30

  1. Under the Local Government Code, Vice Mayor-elect Sebastian "Baste" Duterte steps in as Acting Mayor for Davao City, exercising political authority as a stand-in for his father, Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained at The Hague's International Criminal Court.
  2. The general news highlights the Sangguniang Panlungsod's councilor emerging as the Acting Vice Mayor following the confirmation of Mayor-elect Rodrigo Duterte's indictment by the International Criminal Court.
  3. Policymakers and legislators debate potential options for Rodrigo Duterte to take his oath of office while under ICC detention, such as via a consular official at a Philippine consular office in the Netherlands, in light of the approaching deadline for the start of the new term for local officials on June 30.

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