Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros said on Monday, February 16, that no senator would be arrested while the Senate is in session.

Hontiveros pointed this out after the International Criminal Court (ICC) named Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa as co-perpetrators in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s case in the ICC.

She said she is vouching on Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s stand on the issue, which the latter had already explained previously

"I think that particular issue was raised previously in relation to one of them. And I would stand by what Senate President Tito Sotto said then that by tradition, while the Senate is in session, no members can be arrested inside," Hontiveros said in an interview with reporters after conducting a consultative public hearing on the various anti-political dynasty bills in Marilao, Bulacan.

Nevertheless, Hontiveros admitted this latest development is a painful process for the Senate and which needs to be discussed at the right time.

“Well, I believe it is just an indictment. There is no document yet released that would set certain processes in motion. Like other issues that have been investigated, for example by the Senate, which are only here in the Philippines, but this one with an international scope is of course a difficult and even painful process for the Senate. But we need to address it as an institution at the proper time,” said Hontiveros.

Hontiveros said she is basing her position on the positions of the Senate President and if there are other developments that evolve.

“I'm sure the Senate leadership will take the lead in discussing all of that with us," she added.

When asked if Philippine law would prevail once the arrest warrant was issued, Hontiveros said it is separate from the local court and the ICC.

"I think the process in our courts is separate, of course we will go there first, from the ICC,” she said.

Hontiveros said she believes that the case about former president Duterte’s arrest is different from the case of Go and Dela Rosa.

“So I believe in the previous arrest, there was a sense that the remedies had been exhausted here. And I think in that first arrest, that case was separate from the two you are asking about now. I mean, similar principles should apply," said Hontiveros.

"But how the Senate will act in these two cases because they are our members, then that is what we will discuss further, in addition to what the Senate President has already said," he added.

However, Hontiveros said there is no schedule yet for senators to discuss the Senate's position on the situation of Go and Dela Rosa.

“I don't think there has been a concrete development yet following that indictment, but if and once there is, I'm sure we senators will continue our discussion about the best stance to take,” said Hontiveros.