Vice President Sara Duterte said on Saturday, May 17, that their legal team is studying how former President Rodrigo Duterte, who won the Davao City mayoral race despite his detention in The Hague, can take his oath of office before June 30.
“Yes, the lawyers, his lawyers are working on how he will swear for his oath. They are working on it and I don’t think they have an answer right now,” she said.
“But I am sure they will give an update in the coming days, right before June 30, noon of June 30,” she added.
Winning candidates of the midterm polls will officially take on their respective duties starting noon of June 30.
During their conversation on May 16, which lasted for 41 minutes, the Vice President said she updated her father about the results of the local and national elections.
“And I updated him about what are the ways forward with regard to the impeachment and with regard to what we are doing with his (International Criminal Court) ICC case. So, he’s updated very recently, yesterday,” she added, referring to her impending impeachment trial before the Senate this coming July.
Despite being unable to campaign after he was detained in The Hague on March 12, the former president won as Davao City mayor, with son, incumbent Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, as his vice mayor.
The former chief executive and now Davao City-mayor elect would have to take an oath before June 30 to assume his position.
His defense team has already questioned the jurisdiction of the ICC on his case and has requested for the dismissal of the case against him, but it is not clear when this will be taken up by the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I.
The elder Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity of murder in relation to his bloody war on drugs campaign. He is scheduled to face the PTC I on Sept. 23 for the confirmation of charges. (Raymund Antonio)
