Vice President Leni Robredo on Saturday welcomed the filing of a complaint against Chinese President Xi Jinping by Filipino fishermen and former Philippine officials before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes allegedly committed in the disputed South China Sea.

Robredo said the complaint gives Filipinos hope in the fight against the regional superpower, which has been militarizing islands in the disputed sea.

"Ako, actually, natuwa ako noong nakita ko iyong ginawa, kasi parang dumating kasi tayo sa punto na parang nawawalan tayo ng pag-asa—sinasakop tayo nang sinasakop, tapos nawawalan tayo ng pag-asa, na wala tayong magagawa," she told reporters in Tigaon, Camarines Sur.

"At least ito, mayroong mga naglakas ng loob na i-bring to the attention of authorities iyong pagsabi na mali na ba talaga iyong ginagawa o hindi. Itong ginawang ito, parang dinugtungan ulit iyong pag-asa sa ating mga puso, na mayroon pa naman pala tayong lakas na labanan iyong isang malaking entity kagaya ng China."

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales joined the fishermen in filing the communication to the ICC on March 13.

The international body received the communication on March 15, two days before the Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC.

"It adversely affects and injures not only myriad groups of vulnerable fishermen, including 320,000 Filipino fishermen, but also present and future generations of people across nations," the group said in a statement.

--Report from Mylce Mella, ABS-CBN News