Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is in custody at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, has been re-elected as mayor of his hometown of Davao.

The election result is not considered unexpected, as the Duterte family has held the position for more than 20 years, but it is uncertain whether he will be able to hold office because of the ongoing crimes against humanity case against him.

The next hearing in the case against him is scheduled for September. But even before that, there is debate about whether he will be allowed to take office.

CNN reported that in this situation, a complex legal battle is expected between the International Criminal Court and the Philippine legal system.

According to CNN, the 80-year-old Duterte will be able to take the oath of office via video call or through a representative while in custody, but that too would require permission from the court in The Hague.

Even if he is able to take the oath, the question will be how he will run the administration. Because the time zone of The Hague and the Philippines, thousands of miles apart, does not match. While he remains in custody, he will not even have access to the internet.

According to CNN, if Duterte is sworn in, under Philippine law, his youngest son, Sebastian Duterte, who has become the vice mayor of Davao, can handle day-to-day operations.

But if Duterte is unable to take the oath, Carlo Nograles, who came in second place in the Davao mayoral election, could become mayor. Nograles’ family has long been a rival to the Duterte family.

According to Ramon Beleno, a former professor and political analyst at Ateneo de Davao University, if Nograles is made mayor, there is a possibility that the Duterte family could file a legal challenge against him.

Duterte, 80, is accused of killing thousands of innocent people during his anti-drug campaign, but he has denied allegations of human rights abuses.

Duterte remains an influential but controversial leader in the Philippines, having served as mayor of Davao City for more than two decades before becoming president in 2016.

But he was arrested on March 11, 2025, on charges of involvement in crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape, during the anti-drug campaign between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019.

He was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, while returning from Hong Kong. That same night, he was sent to The Hague, Netherlands, by chartered plane. He has been in the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague since March 12, 2025.