Senator Lacson pushes tougher penalties vs. espionage amid foreign spy concerns

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson underscored the need to impose tougher penalties against espionage, citing recent foreign intelligence activities targeting Philippine state secrets.

Lacson said he already filed a bill in July last year seeking to update the country’s anti-espionage law. However, the measure has yet to move forward in the Senate.

"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. I say we need to strengthen the law to address modern-day threats," he said in a mix of English and Filipino during an interview on DZRH radio.

"Our world has changed and spying is detrimental to our national security," he added.

Lacson’s proposed measure, Senate Bill No. 33, seeks to modernize the country’s anti-espionage framework by increasing penalties and expanding the law’s coverage to include the use of emerging technologies in espionage activities.

Under the bill, individuals who engage in or conspire to commit espionage, including those who aid or abet such acts or interfere in the country’s internal affairs, could face life imprisonment without parole and fines ranging from P5 million to P20 million.

As of March 2026, the bill remains pending before the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation.

Lacson noted that several countries impose far harsher penalties for espionage, including capital punishment in China.

He also recalled that he once came under scrutiny under United States anti-espionage laws after receiving an email from Leandro Aragoncillo, a former U.S. Marine who was later charged with espionage.

According to Lacson, authorities monitored his email and canceled his visa during that period. "That's how strict other countries act against espionage," he said.

The senator’s remarks come after the National Security Council confirmed last week that three Filipino nationals had been detained over alleged espionage activities linked to foreign intelligence operations in the Philippines.

Roy Vincent Trinidad, a rear admiral of the Philippine Navy, said the suspects had confessed and are cooperating with authorities.

Officials also revealed that the individuals were recruited through covert channels and used digital platforms to relay information as part of an espionage network currently under investigation.

-Paraluman News