Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, March 11 welcomed the arrest former president Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.

“Dumating na ang araw na hinihintay ng mga pamilya ng libo-libong Pilipino na napatay sa madugong ‘tokhang’ ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte (The day that the families of the thousands of Filipinos who died in the bloody war on drugs of the former president has finally arrived,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

"Pinanghahawakan ko ang mga sinabi ni dating Pangulong Duterte, under oath, na haharapin niya ang kaso sa (I am vouching on what former president Duterte had said, under oath, that he will face the charges before the) International Criminal Court,” she said.

“Sana, bilang abugado, siya ay sumunod sa mga proseso nito (I hope, as a lawyer, he will follow the processes),” she stressed.

The senator also expressed hope that Malacañang will follow through its promise and comply with the ICC’s requests.

“I also hope that Malacanang will honor its word and accede to all requests of the ICC, through the Interpol, and ensure that justice will run its full course,” she said.

The opposition lawmaker pointed out that the thousands of Filipinos that were killed during the bloody war on drugs were not murdered by one man alone.

“Sana ay simula pa lang ito ng paghahabol ng hustisya sa lahat ng mga opisyal at kawani ng gobyerno na responsable sa pagpatay sa inosente o walang kalaban-laban (I hope this is just the beginning of the pursuit of justice for all government officials and employees responsible for the killing of innocent or defenseless people),” she said.