VICE President Sara Duterte on Thursday challenged Arturo Lascañas, the self-confessed hitman of the Davao Death Squad, to file murder charges against her after he alleged she was part of the group during her time as vice mayor and mayor of Davao.

In an online press conference, Lascañas also claimed that Duterte came up with the term "Oplan Tokhang" when she was mayor and had ordered the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa to carry out the controversial anti-drug campaign.

Vice President Sara Duterte. Photo from VICE President Sara Duterte FB page

Without mentioning Lascañas' name, Duterte said a witness claimed that she was involved in Oplan Tokhang, Davao Death Squad, and incidents of murder and extrajudicial killings in Davao City.

She said this is a "new script" concocted against her.

"Suddenly, there was a witness against me when I was elected as vice president and I became one of those being accused in the International Criminal Court (ICC)," Duterte said in Filipino.

Aside from timing, Duterte believes that her name is being dragged into the issue to prompt the attention of the ICC.

She said the ICC's moves to investigate extrajudicial killings and other crimes related to the drug war are an affront to the country's sovereignty and a "blasphemy" to the dignity of Filipinos and the Philippines.

Duterte dared Lascañas and those people behind him to file murder charges against her in a local court, not before the ICC.

Former senator Antonio Trillanes 4th had claimed that Duterte "approved" to continue Oplan Tokhang during her stint as Davao mayor.

ACT-Teachers party-list Rep. Francisca Castro called on the House leadership to probe Duterte's involvement in the drug war as alleged by Lascañas.

"It is no wonder that VP Duterte's position is not to cooperate with the ICC because it would seem that she herself is involved in the drug killings and not just her father," Castro said.

She also pushed for the country to return to the ICC and urged the House leadership to investigate how funds during the administration of then-president Rodrigo Duterte were used.

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