By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES’ National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday urged lawmakers to pass stricter measures against foreign espionage after authorities nabbed suspected spies last week.

Senators and congressmen should immediately pass changes to the Anti-Espionage Act and approve a proposal countering foreign interference amid “evolving security threats,” National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año said in a statement.

“We urge Congress to prioritize the passage of amendments to the Anti-Espionage Act, as well as the Countering Foreign Interference and Malign Influence bill,” he said.

“Strengthening our legal framework is essential to effectively address evolving security threats and to ensure that those who seek to compromise our national security will face the full force of the law,” he added

Philippine authorities on Jan. 17 arrested a Chinese national accused of spying on joint Philippine-US military sites. They also nabbed two alleged Filipino accomplices.

They were accused of traveling to Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites on the main Philippine island of Luzon using equipment that can create 3D images of structures and a global navigation satellite system, which provides global positioning, navigation and timing services.

“The recent apprehensions highlight the need for continuous vigilance, strengthened coordination among government agencies and proactive measures to fortify our national security framework,” Mr. Año said.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Eduardo C. Teodoro, Jr. last year urged Congress to amend the country’s Anti-Espionage law even if the country is not at war after a documentary alleged that a dismissed Philippine municipal mayor was a Chinese spy.

Bills seeking to amend the 83-year-old Anti-Espionage Act remain pending at the Senate and House of Representatives national security committees. The proposals seek to expand acts that constitute espionage.

Congressmen have also filed a measure against foreign interference.

“The proposed legislation aims to penalize the various methods through which foreign agents and entities may interfere in the Philippine political and governmental process,” according to House Bill No. 11040, which was filed in November.

Mr. Año’s call to fast-track the approval of the national security bills comes as the 19^th Congress is set to take a four-month-long break to give way for the 2025 midterm elections.

“Security legislation should also account for foreign transactions and financial ties [with political candidates], more so if they are affiliated with new and untested foreign investors that involve suspicious personnel,” Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

Lawmakers should ensure that the bill would not be used against “opposition actors,” he said. “It is an understandable piece of legislation as long as it is applied and implemented by the right people and not levied against activists and opposition actors.”