Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Wednesday said the Philippines should continue its "megaphone diplomacy" to focus international attention on its sea dispute with China.
Strong rhetoric from Manila will counter "gunboat diplomacy," Drilon told ANC's Headstart. China has refused to pull out its ships from the West Philippine Sea despite a Twitter outburst from Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. that they should "get the f*ck out."
"We could not confront them. The only available peaceful means to us is to keep the issue in the forefront," he said.
"We must continue to expose these illegal acts of China. That is why megaphone diplomacy... is maybe the appropriate course that we have today so that we can keep China on its toes insofar as the international forum is concerned," he added.
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Chinese Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin issued a reply to Locsin, saying "megaphone diplomacy can only undermine mutual trust rather than change reality."
"We hope that certain individual from the Philippine side will mind basic manners and act in ways that suit his status," he Wang said.
Drilon said Locsin's remarks were borne out of frustration. The two served under the Cabinet of former President Corazon Aquino.
The minority leader earlier led 10 senators in filing a resolution condemning China's "illegal" activities at the West Philippine Sea.
Locsin said he would say sorry only to his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, for hurting his feelings.
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