Former president Rodrigo Duterte may soon be released and allowed to return to the Philippines, his lawyer said, raising the prospect of a temporary homecoming amid ongoing legal proceedings overseas.

The possibility hinges on a petition for interim release currently under consideration by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating Duterte over alleged crimes linked to his controversial war on drugs.

In an interview with ABS-CBN, Duterte’s legal counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, confirmed that negotiations are ongoing with a country willing to host his client—one of the prerequisites for an ICC-granted release.

“The possibility, theoretical or not, exists for someone to be released—interim release—to the country where he comes, from where the crimes were actually been committed,” Kaufman said.

While declining to discuss details of the petition due to confidentiality rules, Kaufman said the defense had initially reached an agreement with one country, but it fell through for undisclosed reasons. Another state is now being considered by both the court and the prosecution.

The ICC last week, on July 23, agreed to delay its ruling on Duterte’s interim release request after the defense said it needed more time to gather key information.

Kaufman maintained that such a release is a legal right under ICC procedures and believes there are no remaining grounds for the prosecution to oppose it.

“It’s called interim release because it means you’re released until trial or released until the judges should decide otherwise,” Kaufman said. “All the risk factors that exist can be adequately neutralized,” he added.

Duterte has consistently denied wrongdoing, while his administration has rejected the ICC’s jurisdiction over the Philippines.