The National Security Council on Tuesday urged Congress to prioritize the passage of a measure seeking to amend the Espionage Act following the arrest of a Chinese national and his two Filipino associates conducting surveillance, espionage, and intelligence-gathering activities in the country.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año also called for the passage of the Countering Foreign Interference and Malign Influence bill, saying the arrest of the Chinese spy “highlights the need for continuous vigilance, strengthened coordination among government agencies, and proactive measures to fortify our national security framework.”

“The arrest of these individuals is a stark reminder of the persistent threats posed by foreign interference and malign influence to the country,” he said.

He also stressed that the Philippine government “remains committed to counter-espionage and other suspicious operations that threaten the country’s critical infrastructure, defense facilities, and national security.”

“In light of these developments, we urge Congress to prioritize the passage of the amendments to the Espionage Act as well as the Countering Foreign Interference and Malign Influence bill,” Año said.

He further stressed the need to strengthen the country’s legal framework to address evolving security threats effectively and ensure that those seeking to compromise national security “will face the full force of the law.”

In September last year, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the country’s espionage law must be amended to make it stiffer, allowing the government to enforce punishment for the act during “times of peace.”

Teodoro lamented that the espionage law is only applicable during "times of war."

In October last year, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez filed House Bill (HB) 10983, which seeks to amend Article 117 of the Revised Penal Code to prohibit espionage “in times of peace or in times of war.”

Rodriguez also filed HB 10988, amending Commonwealth Act No. 616, to impose stricter penalties for espionage, including the prison correctional —which ranges from six months and one day to six years — for any person who, “without authority, enters a warship, fort, or naval or military establishment or reservation to obtain any information, plans, photographs, or other data of a confidential nature relative to the defense of the Philippine archipelago.”

The same penalty would apply to any public officer who, “being in possession, by reason of the public office he holds, of the articles, data, or information referred to in the preceding paragraph, discloses their contents to a representative of a foreign nation.”

A higher penalty would be imposed if the offender is a public officer or employee.

The proposed penalties under HB 10988 include life imprisonment and fines ranging from P500,000 to P2 million, depending on the severity of the offense.