For Sen. Francis Tolentino, the Philippines' joint patrol operation with Australia, Japan, and the United States in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will promote regional stability rather than provoke China.
Tolentino, who chairs the Senate Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones, said that the positive outcome of the patrol operation, dubbed as a Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) outweighs the consequences as this will signal a "strengthened alliance/s" with like-minded countries.
"I think it will signify a commitment to mutual defense and security cooperation among allies. Mas titibay yung (It will strengthen our) diplomatic ties natin doon sa mga (with the) defense allies natin na kasama po sa (that belong to the) United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," he said.
He added that the MCA will signal a "strong deterrence" that will make it difficult to "bully" the Philippines.
The MCA is expected to raise the eyebrow of China, which has continued to establish a strong presence in the South China Sea.
This, despite a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea, and favored the Philippines' claims over its 200-nautical mile EEZ which includes the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
"Yung mga nagsasabi na baka lalong magalit ang China, para sa akin (For those who are saying that this may trigger China, for me), it will promote more regional stability," he said.
General Romeo Brawner Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Monday, April 8, that the first-ever multilateral MCA over the weekend was deemed “successful”.
However, the military chief confirmed that two Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy were spotted during the quad sail.
Prior to this, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy announced that they also conducted combat patrols in the South China Sea, adding that all military activities supposedly disrupting the South China Sea situation were placed “under control.”
Tolentino said that the day would come when China would reach out and talk to the Philippines on this matter.
"Ayaw lang nila mapahiya siguro ngayon (They just don't want to be embarassed as of this time)...I'm positive na may magandang resolusyon 'to (that this will ha ve a good resolution). Kaya lang sa ngayon, hindi dapat tayo tumiklop at dapat palakasin (But for now we should not fold and we must strengthen) not just military alliances but even our own internal defense capability," he added.