
Can Rodrigo Duterte serve as Davao mayor from ICC detention?
Advertisement
The post he won is no ordinary local office. It is the mayorship of Davao City, the southern Philippine metropolis that has long served as the Duterte family's political stronghold – a position he held for more than two decades before ascending to the presidency in 2016.
But despite his electoral triumph, Duterte's return to Davao's city hall remains far from certain.
His victory in May's midterm election has triggered a surreal legal and diplomatic conundrum in the Philippines: can a man imprisoned in an international detention facility legally assume the office of mayor?
The International Criminal Court in The Hague, where Duterte is set to be tried for crimes against humanity. Photo: AP
A legal impossibility?
The answer to the quandary, according to legal experts, is almost certainly no.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Lee Jae-myung projected to win South Korean presidential election: exit polls
South Korea's liberal Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung is expected to win the country's snap presidential election, according to projections by local broadcasters. Advertisement Reuters has not independently confirmed the results of the joint exit poll on Tuesday by broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS, which put Lee on 51.7 per cent and his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo on 39.3 per cent. The exit poll has in previous elections mostly been in line with the final results. A separate poll by broadcaster JTBC put Lee at 50.6 per cent and Kim at 39.4 per cent. Channel A also predicted a Lee win by similar margins. Around 78 per cent of South Korea's 44.39 million eligible voters had cast ballots to pick the leader of Asia's fourth-largest economy, hoping to draw to a close six months of turmoil triggered by a shock martial law briefly imposed by former leader Yoon Suk-yeol. National Election Commission officials prepare to count the ballots for the presidential election in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters After being impeached by parliament in December, Yoon was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, less than three years into his five-year term, triggering the snap election that now stands to remake South Korea's political leadership and foreign policies.


South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
SCMP Best Bets: Say Bienvenue to another Happy Valley win
Sam Agars COLOURFUL KING - R9 (11) Has been going beautifully and should relish the step up in trip Jay Rooney SKY TRUST - R8 (2) Big run last start and has drawn to get a much better run here Trackwork Spy BIENVENUE - R5 (2) Impressive last-start winner looks well placed to strike again Phillip Woo LEAN HERO - R2 (1) Has a solid record at this level and looks primed to strike from gate one Shannon (Vincent Wong) SUPER HONG KONG - R1 (6) Is back to his favourite trip and looks a big chance tonight Racing Post Online STORM RIDER - R6 (5) Ran a nice second to Crimson Flash last start and looks hard to beat Tom Wood CASA ROCHESTER - R7 (7) Found trouble in the straight last start and looks like he can go close here


South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
80% of Hong Kong's disadvantaged children suffer nutritional imbalance: survey
Eight in 10 children from low-income families in Hong Kong suffer from serious nutritional imbalance, with less than 14 per cent getting enough dairy, a survey has found. Advertisement The People Service Centre on Tuesday released the findings of a four-year study that monitored 426 children, aged three to 11, from underprivileged households, including those living in public housing and substandard accommodation such as subdivided flats and cubicle rooms. The study, conducted by the poverty-focused NGO in collaboration with the Hong Kong Community Dietitian Association and Emeritus Professor in Public Health and Primary Care Albert Lee at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, showed that 80 per cent of the children had a serious nutritional imbalance, with only 13.6 per cent meeting the dairy intake target set by the Department of Health. About 60 per cent of the children had insufficient intake of both fruits and vegetables. Nearly half failed to meet the recommended grain intake, while close to 40 per cent did not consume enough meat. 'There were at least 40 per cent of children who did not meet the standards in each of the five major food categories,' Gloria Yeung Tan-ping, a project officer at the centre, said. 'The figures reflected the serious nutritional imbalance in children, and the intake level will affect their growth.' Advertisement The department recommends a daily balanced diet for children aged two to five that includes 1.5 to three bowls of grains, at least 1.5 servings of vegetables, at least one serving of fruit, up to 111 grams of meat, fish, egg and alternatives, and two servings of milk or alternatives.