Doctors of former president Corazon Aquino had successfully removed the cancer cells from her colon after one-and-a-half hour surgery at the Makati Medical Center, her youngest daughter announced Monday.

“Sobrang laking blessing dahil ‘yong lahat ng cancerous portion sa colon niya natanggal ‘yon,” Kris Aquino said in an interview on “TV Patrol World.”

After the surgery, the television host said the former president was wheeled to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) for the crucial 72-hour observation.

Kris said the laparoscopic surgery was successful and that her mother’s doctors were “very positive.”

Mrs. Aquino, Kris said, was brought to the operating room around 9:30 a.m. She was wheeled to the SICU at 2 p.m. and she regained consciousness around 5:30 p.m.

“Tinawag niya ako, sabi niya, ‘kumusta, how was the operation?’ [I said], ‘Mom, it was so good… Una niyang ginawa, right after, [sinabi niya] ‘Thank you, God.’ She told me, ‘Kris, please get my rosary.’ Tapos sinabi niya, ‘you pray’ kasi bawal nga siyang magsalita,” she said.

She said her mother was very relieved and grateful that the operation was successful.

Kris added that as she prayed the rosary she was fighting back her tears.

The television host was hopeful that Mrs. Aquino will be discharged from the hospital as early as Friday.

The former leader has undergone a series of chemotherapy sessions since she was first diagnosed with cancer on March 24, 2008.

On Sunday Kris said she and her siblings would take turns watching their mother as she recuperates from surgery.