Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said he is pushing to strengthen the anti-espionage law to impose heavier penalties on individuals involved in spying activities that threaten national security, including provisions dating back to 1941.
In an interview on DZRH’s “Damdaming Bayan,” Lacson said he filed a bill seeking to amend the country’s decades-old law on espionage, which he believes no longer reflects the realities of modern communication and global security threats.
According to Lacson, the current law dates back to the Commonwealth era and carries penalties that he described as too light.
“'Yan ang unang-unang bill na filed ko [noong 20th Congress]. Ang ating anti-espionage law, parang 70, Commonwealth Act pa 'yan. Ang parusa pitik lang. Pitik sa ilong,” Lacson said.
“So sabi ko palakasin natin kasi nga masyadong maliit na ang mundo. Hindi tulad ng dati na wala naman tayong komunikasyon. Ngayon maliit na ang mundo. At saka ang pagpapadala ng mga spies, detrimental yan sa seguridad ng bansa,” he added.
Under Lacson's proposed measure, individuals proven guilty of espionage could face life imprisonment or reclusion perpetua, a significant increase from the penalties under the existing law.
Lacson’s Senate Bill No. 33 seeks to strengthen and modernize the country’s anti-espionage laws by imposing stiffer penalties on individuals involved in spying activities while expanding the law’s coverage to include espionage carried out through modern technologies and acts of foreign interference in government affairs.
The senator emphasized that many countries impose very strict penalties for espionage, noting that some nations even impose the death penalty.
The push for stronger anti-espionage laws comes following the Philippine authorities' investigation of recent cases involving the alleged recruitment of Filipinos by foreign intelligence operatives.
During a recent Senate hearing of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad revealed that three Filipinos working in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were allegedly recruited for espionage activities through online platforms.
Trinidad said the individuals were reportedly fresh graduates looking for employment when they were approached through professional networking sites such as LinkedIn.
