Tag: espionage

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Lacson Reiterates Need for Stricter Penalties vs Espionage Amid Recent Espionage Activities

Recent foreign espionage activities targeting the Philippines’ state secrets underscore the need for stricter penalties, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson emphasized on Thursday.

Lacson said that while he has filed a bill to address the issue as early as last July, the proposed measure is still languishing at the committee level.

“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 in an interview on DZRH radio.

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

In Filipino: Lacson: Kailangan ng Mas Mahigpit na Parusa vs Pag-Eespiya Kasunod ng Kamakailang Espionage Activities

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Lacson Warns: Chinese Sleeper Agents, PLA Members Already in PH

Chinese “sleeper agents” and even operatives from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are already embedded in the Philippines to engage in espionage, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson pressed the concerned government agencies to conduct continuous follow-up operations against those arrested in earlier anti-espionage operations.

“The whole network of espionage operations must be dismantled or at least decimated to a large degree kasi agents come and go. Inaresto mo, may papalit diyan. And I have on good information na maraming sleeper agents, even regular members of PLA na nandito. Widespread eh (The whole network of espionage operations must be dismantled or at least decimated to a large degree because agents come and go. You arrest one, another takes his/her place. And I have it on good information that there are sleeper agents and even regular members of the PLA who are here, they are widespread),” he said at the hearing of the Senate defense committee, which tackled anti-espionage bills, including Lacson’s Senate Bill 33, an act penalizing espionage and other similar offenses against national security.

In Filipino: Babala ni Lacson: Chinese Sleeper Agents, Miyembro ng PLA, Nasa Pilipinas na

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Ping Lacson Bill Strengthens, Modernizes PH Measure vs Espionage and Offenses vs National Security

A bill by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson will finally strengthen and modernize the Philippines’ outdated laws – one dating back to 1941 – against espionage and other offenses against national security.

Lacson’s Senate Bill 33, the “New Anti-Espionage Act,” increases penalties for such offenses, and covers new technologies, as well as activities by foreign jurisdictions that can interfere with our government affairs.

It also allows the surveillance of suspects and interception and recording of communications after court order from the Court of Appeals.

“Recent technological advancements, along with the potential involvement of foreign jurisdictions in our country’s political and governmental affairs, have exposed significant gaps in Commonwealth Act No. 616 and Article 117 of the Revised Penal Code. These shortcomings underscore the urgent need to amend and modernize these laws,” Lacson said in his bill.

“This measure aims to strengthen the law by updating the penalties for the punishable acts. Particularly, the measure imposes higher penalties upon erring public officials, employees and foreigners. The measure also provides for the extraterritorial application of the law. It likewise penalizes activities by foreign jurisdictions that could interfere with the political and government affairs of the country,” he added.

In Filipino: Panukala ni Ping Lacson, Palalakasin at Ia-Update ang Batas vs Pag-Eespiya at Paglabag sa Pambasang Seguridad

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Ping Lacson Pushes Harsher Penalties for Filipinos Caught Helping Spy on Our Own Country

BATANGAS CITY – Independent senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson wants harsher penalties for Filipinos caught helping foreigners spy on the Philippines.

Lacson also said that should he earn a Senate seat in May, he would move to augment the budget for the intelligence community to upgrade their technical equipment to counter espionage activities.

“It is the height of being a traitor if a Filipino were to help a foreigner spy on our own country,” he said in Filipino at the press conference of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate here.

“Filipinos who help foreigners spy on their own country deserve double the punishment. Can you imagine a Filipino helping a foreigner harm his or her own fellow Filipinos?” he added.

Related: Ping Lacson, Itinulak ang Mas Mabigat na Parusa para sa Pinoy na Naniniktik sa Sariling Bansa

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Ping Lacson Hopeful Filipino Voters Smart Enough Not to be Affected by China ‘Meddling’

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

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