Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has renewed his call for a stronger anti-espionage law amid reports of foreign espionage activities in the Philippines. He argues that the existing law from 1941 needs updating to address modern threats. His proposed bill suggests harsher penalties, including life imprisonment.
In a DZRH interview on March 12, 2026, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson explained that one of the first bills he filed in the 20th Congress was Senate Bill No. 33, aiming to amend the anti-espionage law under the 1941 Commonwealth Act. “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.
He added, “Our world has changed, and spying is detrimental to our national security.” The proposal increases penalties for those guilty of espionage and their accomplices to life imprisonment without parole and fines from P5 million to P20 million. It also seeks to expand coverage to include new technologies.
The push follows Rappler's reports on Filipinos with access to sensitive security information being recruited by Chinese nationals. The National Security Council confirmed these reports, stating that espionage operations “linked” to China have been “addressed and terminated.” The bill remains pending before the Senate committee on national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation.