Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Risa Hontiveros yesterday on Thursday called for stronger legislation to defend the Philippines against foreign espionage and interference.
Both senators pressed for urgent legislative action to close loopholes that enable espionage and manipulation.
The appeal came after Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro confirmed attempts by foreign groups to exploit the country’s vulnerabilities.
“Many individuals, high-profile or not, manage to slip past authorities. For example, some exploit late birth registration, as we saw in the case of Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping, among others,” said Gatchalian.
The senator stressed that new laws must focus on cybersecurity, arguing that existing safeguards are outdated in the era of digitalization.
Concerns over espionage have grown amid incidents involving Chinese nationals and suspected surveillance equipment found in Philippine territory.
Last year, police arrested Chinese national Deng Yuanqing and two Filipinos on suspicion of spying on sensitive locations as tensions rose in the West Philippine Sea.
More recently, an underwater drone with Chinese markings was discovered off the coast of Palawan, raising further alarms about foreign monitoring.
Under current statutes, espionage is penalized through Article 117 of the Revised Penal Code and Commonwealth Act No. 616.
These laws prohibit spying, unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information to foreign powers, and illegal access to military installations.
Senator Risa Hontiveros also raised concerns over alleged foreign influence networks operating inside the country.
She cited intelligence reports allegedly linking businessman Joseph Sy to malign influence and foreign interference activities.
Hontiveros recalled that Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson earlier confirmed the presence of Chinese sleeper cells in the Philippines.
“Foreign spies are already widespread in our country. The intention is to influence all aspects of our national policy to further the interests of the foreign government to whom they pledge allegiance to,” she said.
Hontiveros detailed how Sy and his family allegedly used multiple identities, passports, and birth certificates to mask their backgrounds.
She presented documents showing Sy’s son, Johnson Cai Chen, holding both a Chinese passport and a Filipino passport under a different name.
According to Hontiveros, this dual identity represents a deeper issue of fraudulent citizenship facilitated by foreign influence.
She compared the case to the controversy involving Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, who faced questions over her citizenship records.
Hontiveros argued that foreign-backed actors could bypass Philippine institutions if left unchecked.
