LUCENA CITY – Independent senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is hopeful that when Filipino voters choose their leaders on May 12, they will be smart enough not to be affected by “meddling” and recent espionage activities involving China.
“We are hopeful Filipino voters are smart,” Lacson said in Filipino Friday at the press conference of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate here, when asked about the effect of such activities on the May 12 polls.
But Lacson also reiterated that it is high time we updated and toughened our anti-espionage law, especially in the wake of recent espionage activities linked to China.
Related: Ping Lacson, Umaasa na Matatalino ang Botanteng Pilipino at Hindi Maapektuhan ng ‘Pakikialam’ ng China
Lacson said the current anti-espionage law, the Commonwealth Act 616 of 1941, is badly outdated in terms of the technologies it covers, as well as the penalties it contains.
In contrast, he said China had updated its anti-espionage law to include harsh penalties such as life imprisonment and execution.
“Commonwealth Act 616 was passed in 1941. You can just imagine. It’s about time we amend or repeal this very old legislation to be attuned to the times. At the time it was passed, there was no social media or modern information technology,” he said.
He noted China updated its anti-espionage law in 2022, and three Filipinos who have been charged for espionage there now face life imprisonment or execution because of the law.
Lacson said the updates he is considering proposing include covering modern communications equipment instead of the telegraph mentioned in Commonwealth Act 616; and increasing the penalty to reclusion perpetua for those found guilty.
He said lawmakers must study relevant laws and “make sure we adapt to modern technology.”
“We have many laws that are antiquated. We forget about them and remember them only when faced with threats,” he said.
Lacson said the intelligence community can tap Philippine private sector experts to help strengthen our firewall, in the wake of data breaches on government agencies where more than 8 gigabytes of data had been compromised.
He added authorities should consider the connection between these activities not only with the coming May 12 polls but also a possible invasion of Taiwan and the taking of resources in the West Philippine Sea.
*****
Ping Lacson, Umaasa na Matatalino ang Botanteng Pilipino at Hindi Maapektuhan ng ‘Pakikialam’ ng China
LUCENA CITY – Umaasa si independent senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson na ang mga botanteng Pilipino ay hindi maaapektuhan ng “pakikialam” at espionage activities na sangkot ang China, sa oras na bumoto sila ng mga bagong lider nila sa Mayo 12.
“Umaasa tayo na sana maging matalino ang mga botante,” ani Lacson sa pulong pangbalitaan ng Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate dito, nang tinanong kung makakaapekto ang aktibidad ng China sa darating na halalan.
Nguni’t iginiit muli ni Lacson na dapat i-update at palakasin ang ating anti-espionage law, lalo na dahil sa espionage activities na diumano’y sangkot ang China.
Ani Lacson, ang kasalukuyang batas – Commonwealth Act 616 of 1941 – ay sobrang napag-iwanan na ng panahon dahil sa kahinaan ng parusa nito at sa kalumaan ng gamit na saklaw nito.
Samantala, sa Tsina naman, updated na ang anti-espionage law nito kung saan kasama sa mga parusa ang habang buhay na kulong at bitay.
“Commonwealth Act 616 was passed in 1941. You can just imagine it’s about time i-amend natin o i-repeal natin ang napakaluma nang legislation to be attuned sa times. Kasi noong araw wala pang social media, wala pa ang modern information technology,” aniya.
Aniya, in-update na ng China ang anti-espionage law nito noong 2022, at tatlong Pilipinong kinasuhan dito ay humaharap na sa life imprisonment o execution dahil dito.
Ilan sa mga update na kinokonsidera ni Lacson ang pagsama sa saklaw ng batas ang modernong communications equipment sa halip na telegraph sa Commonwealth Act 616; at ang pagtaas ng parusa sa reclusion perpetua sa mga mahahatulan.
Diin ni Lacson, kailangan nang pag-aralan ng mambabatas ang mga batas tungkol dito at tiyaking “we adapt to modern technology.”
“We have many laws that are antiquated. We forget about them and remember them only when faced with threats,” aniya.
Ani Lacson, maaaring i-tap ng intelligence community ang dalubhasa sa pribadong sektor para patibayin ang ating firewall, matapos ang data breaches sa ahensya ng gobyerno kung saan 8 gigabytes ng data ang nakompromiso.
Dagdag niya, dapat ikonsidera ng awtoridad ang koneksyon ng mga pag-espiya hindi lang sa darating na halalan kundi sa posibleng paglusob ng Tsina sa Taiwan at pagkuha ng resources sa West Philippine Sea.
*****