Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday urged the Philippines to conduct regular joint patrols with Australia, Japan, and the US, following their successful Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea last week.

“Conducting regular joint patrols with Australia, Japan, and the United States at the WPS signal a strengthened alliance with ‘like-minded’ countries and strongly deter China’s bullying of the Philippines,” he said.

“I think the joint patrol at WPS will signify a commitment to mutual defense and security cooperation among allies. Our diplomatic ties with defense allies strengthened,” he added.

Tolentino debunked notions that joint patrols in WPS would further “enrage China” and provoke increased tensions in the disputed waters.

“For me, it will promote more regional stability because the joint patrol will contribute to regional security and cooperation,” Tolentino told reporters on Wednesday.

On 7 April, five ships participated in the MMCA including the BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz from the Philippines; the littoral combat ship USS Mobile from the United States; HMAS Warramunga from Australia; and Japanese destroyer Akebono.

Tolentino said the Philippines can continue to hold MMCAs while it pushes diplomatic engagements with China over the WPS issues.

“I hope that China will negotiate with the Philippines—if a given favorable situation does not embarrass them,” he said.

Tolentino believes that the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines over WPS “will be peacefully resolved.”

“I am positive that there will be a resolution in this dispute, even as we must not surrender and strengthen our defense alliances and internal defense capability, which we are doing now,” he said.