Rodrigo Duterte, the firebrand former president of the Philippines, has made political historical past – not as soon as, however twice. First, as the one ex-Philippine chief to face expenses of crimes towards humanity earlier than the Worldwide Felony Court docket (ICC). And now, as the primary to win a mayoral race whereas imprisoned overseas, securing a rare landslide victory from a detention cell in The Hague.
The submit he gained is not any odd native workplace. It’s the mayorship of Davao Metropolis, the southern Philippine metropolis that has lengthy served because the Duterte household’s political stronghold – a place he held for greater than 20 years earlier than ascending to the presidency in 2016.
However regardless of his electoral triumph, Duterte’s return to Davao’s metropolis corridor stays removed from sure.
His victory in Might’s midterm election has triggered a surreal authorized and diplomatic conundrum within the Philippines: can a person imprisoned in a global detention facility legally assume the workplace of mayor?
A authorized impossibility?
The reply to the quandary, in line with authorized consultants, is nearly actually no.