Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Wednesday urged the Philippine government to exert efforts to use “megaphone” diplomacy to counter China’s continued aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Drilon made the call even as he defended Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr.’s expletive-laden tweets against China on social media.

Locsin has apologized for his rants against China on Twitter after reportedly being told only President Duterte can use curse words.

In his tweet, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) chief called China an “ugly oaf” and demanded that it “get the f***” out of Philippine waters, referring to the continued presence of Chinese coastguard ships near Scarborough Shoal.

“I would rather that we continue with the megaphone diplomacy because of the gunboat diplomacy of China,” Drilon said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart.

“We must continue to expose these illegal acts of China. That is why megaphone diplomacy, as the Chinese foreign minister would call it, is maybe the appropriate course that we have today so that we can keep China on its toes insofar as the world forum is concerned,” the minority leader said.

Drilon said the statement of the country’s top diplomat, as well as that of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s, reflects the sentiment of the majority of Filipinos.

“We are all frustrated by what China is doing,” he said.

“Again, the megaphone diplomacy is probably the only weapon that we have today. We must keep this in the consciousness not only of the Philippines but of the world,” the opposition lawmaker said.

It is unfortunate, however, that despite having two Cabinet members voicing a strong opposition on China’s illegal incursions on the West Philippine Sea, President Duterte still asserts a continued cordial relations with China.

“What I’d like to see is the Philippines leading a group of nations to confront China using a multi-national approach, because we cannot confront China alone,” Drilon stressed.

“Maghanap tayo ng mga kasamang (let’s look for other) nations which are similarly situated,” he said.

“We should keep reminding the world that China is not following the rule of law but the rule of might in this part of the world,” he stressed.