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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Lacson seeks tougher penalties vs espionage; says 1941 law outdated

Lacson seeks tougher penalties vs espionage; says 1941 law outdated

Published Mar 14, 2026 11:13 am
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has stressed the need for stricter penalties amid recent foreign espionage activities targeting the Philippines' state secrets.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (Facebook)
Lacson said that while he filed a bill to address the issue as early as July 2025, the proposed measure is still languishing at the committee level.
"It was one of the first bills I filed in the 20th Congress, to update our anti-espionage law. Our current law is a Commonwealth Act dating back to 1941, whose penalties are too light. So I say we need to strengthen the law to address modern-day threats," he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZRH radio.
"Our world has changed, and spying is detrimental to our national security," he added.
Senate Bill (SB) No. 33, authored by Lacson, seeks to strengthen and modernize our anti-espionage laws by increasing penalties for such offenses and covering new technologies.
It metes life imprisonment without parole and fines ranging from P5 million to P20 million to those who engage and conspire to engage in espionage and interference in our internal affairs, including those who aid and abet them.
As of March 2026, however, it is still pending in the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation.
Lacson noted that other countries impose much harsher penalties on espionage. He cited China, which executes spies, as an examples. 
Lacson recalled that under United States (US) anti-espionage laws, he personally faced scrutiny for receiving an email from Leandro Aragoncillo, who was charged with espionage. His email was monitored, and his visa was canceled at the time.
"That's how strict other countries act against espionage," said the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
Last week, the National Security Council (NSC) confirmed that three Filipino nationals were detained over alleged espionage activities believed to be linked to foreign intelligence operating in the Philippines, and that the suspects have confessed and are cooperating with authorities, Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said.
Officials also revealed that the individuals were recruited through covert channels and used digital platforms to relay information as part of the espionage network being investigated.

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