Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Thursday renewed his push for tougher penalties against espionage, warning that foreign intelligence activities targeting Philippine state secrets require stronger legal safeguards.
Lacson said the country’s current anti-espionage law is outdated and too lenient, noting that his reform measure has been pending in the Senate despite growing national security threats.
“Yan ang isa sa mga unang bill na finile ko, ang updating our anti-espionage law. Ang ating batas sa espionage Commonwealth Act pa yan, ang parusa pitik sa ilong,” Lacson said in a radio interview.
“So sabi ko palakasin natin kasi masyadong maliit ang mundo di tulad dati na wala tayong communication,” he added.
The Senate leader emphasized that modern communication technologies have made espionage more dangerous, as the world is now more interconnected than ever.
Lacson’s proposed Senate Bill No. 33 seeks to modernize the country’s anti-espionage laws by covering new technologies and imposing stiffer penalties.
Under the measure, violators and their collaborators could face life imprisonment without parole and fines ranging from ₱5 million to ₱20 million.
As of March, the bill remains pending before the Senate Committee on National Defense.