Amendments to ‘archaic’ anti-espionage law sought

MANILA, Philippines — To strengthen the country’s defense against modern security threats, Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente Sotto III has pushed for the amendment of the country’s outdated anti-espionage law.

Sotto raised his proposal at the hearing yesterday of the Senate committee on national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation.

He said the existing laws were antiquated and crafted for traditional wartime threats, not peacetime threats like foreign interference, cyberattacks and the illegal disclosure of sensitive government information.

“In today’s rapidly changing world, national security is no longer threatened only by traditional warfare. Espionage, cyber attacks, the theft of confidential information, and the illegal sharing of sensitive government data pose serious risks to the safety, sovereignty, and independence of the Philippines,” he said.

“This is why the Philippines’ anti-espionage and foreign interference laws should be updated. Our laws must keep pace with modern technology, emerging security threats, and the changing methods used by foreign intelligence operations,” Sotto added.

He explained that the existing laws “may leave gaps that can be exploited making it more difficult to protect our national interest and hold offenders accountable.”

The Senate is eyeing the passage of a more stringent anti-espionage law because the current 1941 legislation is archaic and can only be enforced during wartime.

Senators also pressed the need for stronger anti-espionage laws to crack down on spies from China amid the West Philippine Sea issue.