Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing Congress to quickly pass a new law to significantly strengthen the Philippines’ defenses against covert foreign operations and modern espionage.

The lawmaker’s call comes after Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro confirmed that foreign actors are deliberately exploiting national security vulnerabilities, particularly through questionable identities and digital intrusion.

“Many are being caught — whether high-profile or not — but still, some manage to slip through the authorities,” said the senator. “We’ve seen cases like Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping, and many others who have exploited loopholes such as late birth registration.”

He also warned that the country’s current legal framework, primarily Article 117 of the Revised Penal Code and Commonwealth Act No. 616, is outdated and insufficient to counter sophisticated threats in the cyber domain.

These existing laws primarily penalize acts like spying, unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, and unlawful access to military sites.

He called for comprehensive legislative amendments to expand national security safeguards and bring the country’s espionage laws into the digital age, focusing specifically on cybersecurity and information warfare.