Senate Deputy Minority Leader Hontiveros praises WPS joint patrol

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Monday hailed the latest joint patrol in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), saying it is a clear display of resistance to China's actions.

Hontiveros emphasized that these exercises demonstrate international commitment to upholding the rules-based order in the South China Sea and help 'put China in her place'.

She urged China to honor its commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the BBNJ Agreement, asserting that it is China's aggression that provokes tensions.

Ex-military officer and former senator Gringo Honasan said these maritime cooperative activities with allied countries are important in maintaining a balance of power in the WPS but stressed the need for peaceful dispute resolution plans.

The Philippines recently conducted joint maritime drills within its territorial waters with defense forces from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States to uphold freedom of navigation and respect for maritime rights under international law.