Gov’t urged to monitor foreign meddling in polls
An administration lawmaker on Sunday called on concerned agencies to thwart foreign meddling in the May midterm elections and urged them to enhance security measures in key government facilities and military installations.
House Assistant Majority Leader Jefferson Khonghun, citing the recent arrest of alleged Chinese spies, emphasized the need to prevent foreign espionage activities from threatening the country’s security.
“This is not a simple case of a foreigner curious about our government. There was an intention, a plan. We can’t just shrug this off. We need to make sure that we have enough protection against espionage,” he said in Filipino.
Khonghun, who chairs the House of Representatives special committee on bases conversion, noted that while it was important to call out foreign actors, internal security protocols should also be reviewed and strengthened.
“We need to enhance our counterintelligence, make sure we have the technology to prevent spying and broaden interagency coordination,” he said, adding that the Philippines needed an effective cyberdefense and a higher level of security for the military and the different government offices.
‘Interference’
The Zambales lawmaker cited warnings from the National Security Council on the possibility of foreign interference in the midterm elections through cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and financial backing of candidates aligned with foreign interests.
He urged the Commission on Elections and the Department of Information and Communications Technology to develop and enforce effective mechanisms to detect and prevent foreign meddling in the electoral process.
“Our democracy is for Filipinos. We must ensure there’s no room for foreign interference in our elections,” Khonghun said.
“Espionage is more dangerous if it results in foreign influence on our elections. We must identify candidates who could be serving foreign interests and ensure they don’t secure government positions,” he added.
The National Bureau of Investigation on Feb. 20 arrested two Chinese nationals and three Filipinos for allegedly conducting surveillance on sensitive sites in Metro Manila, including Malacañang, as well as the national headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.
In January, five Chinese nationals were arrested in Palawan for allegedly monitoring Philippine Coast Guard and Navy operations, including resupply missions in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, using high-resolution, solar-powered cameras, and detailed maps of restricted government zones.
