(UPDATE) SENATORS on Thursday said the yearly Balikatan joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States should be reviewed to make them more responsive to the need to deter China's persistent aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chairman of the Committee on National Defense and Security, noted that Balikatan, organized by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Armed Forces, is not designed for combat operations against other nations.

"Responding to or utilizing it to impede China's coercive actions against Philippine vessels is outside the scope of these joint military drills," he said.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

"We can only speculate on the motives of China in resorting to illegal and irresponsible behavior. While some of this year's Balikatan exercises occur in disputed areas, the purpose of the drills is not to challenge other nations' actions directly," the lawmaker added.

Estrada reiterated the Philippines' unwavering commitment to upholding international law and promoting regional peace. He emphasized that the country will continue to engage in lawful activities within its territorial jurisdiction, including in Bajo de Masinloc, which is a vital source of livelihood for Filipinos and falls within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Sen. Francis Tolentino echoed Estrada's statement that the exercises' purpose is not to stop China's harassment.

"We should trust the effectiveness of our alliances not the unruly behavior of those who intend to distract us," Tolentino said.

China's aggression toward civilian vessels, he said, highlights the need to uphold international law.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said the purpose of the Balikatan exercises is merely to enhance the country's defense systems' interoperability with our allies. "We are grateful to the nations and will continue supporting all efforts to strengthen our partnerships with them," Villanueva added.

TRAINING TOGETHER Soldiers disembark a US Marines CH-53 Super Stallion during an airfield seizure exercise as part of the US-Philippines Balikatan joint military exercise at San Vicente Airport in Palawan on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. AFP PHOTO

He also said China has become a certified bully, and their scare tactics are merely propaganda.

"Whatever they do will never take away our sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea, especially the Scarborough Shoal, which is clearly within our exclusive economic zone," he said.

Meanwhile, some observers suggest that the recent water cannon attacks by the China Coast Guard on Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea were a deliberate move by Beijing to challenge the alliance between Manila and Washington.

During Tuesday's encounter near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), within the country's EEZ, vessels from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources sustained damage when Chinese ships fired water cannons at them.

Previously, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III suggested that the Philippines respond to this recent incident by employing "diplomacy" and "intelligent tactics."

He emphasized that the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) should only be invoked with careful consideration.

His comments came after the US stated that it would uphold its defense obligations under Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines MDT. This would be in response to an "armed attack" on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, or armed forces.