TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
 
 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
H. No. 3219
Introduced by Representative Binky April M. Tupas 
AN ACT  
PENALIZING FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES AND 
CREATING THE COUNTER FOREIGN INTERFERENCE TASK FORCE, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The government of the Republic of the Philippines recognizes the risks 
and threats that foreign interference poses on the political and governance 
systems of the country. This prompts a deeper examination on the methods, 
strategies, and tactics employed by potential foreign adversaries that can 
infiltrate and penetrate critical operations and systems of that include 
government, media, and even critical infrastructures. This encroachment, even, 
infiltration, may pose widespread effects and threatens the country in terms of 
national security, political stability, and independence. 
The current legal framework available today that regulates the conduct 
of foreign agents was enacted in 1979 (Batas Pambansa Bilang 39 of the 
“Foreign Agents Act of 1979”) and it is manifest to be far behind and outdated 
in countering foreign interference. The government acknowledge this 
impediment and therefore pushes for a new law that will deal with the issue of 
foreign interference effectively. 
The proposed bill aims to penalize activities that enable foreign 
interference in the policies and operations of the government of the Republic of 
the Philippines. The primary aim is to deter and prevent threats by foreign 
principals inimical to the country's national security and sovereignty, foreign 
intelligence agencies serving foreign interests, and agents who are engaged in 
malign actions against the interests of the Philippines. Additionally, it expands 
its scope to include harmful electronic communications and imposes obligations 
to internet service providers to block access to electronic communications that 
are prejudicial to national security and public safety. 
By establishing stringent standards for identifying, investigating, and 
punishing any foreign attempts at interference, the proposed bill seeks to 
safeguard the Philippines from external dangers. In coming with the proposed 
August 6, 2025
12:45 pm




TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
H. No. 3219
Introduced by Representative Binky April M. Tupas 
AN ACT  
PENALIZING FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES AND 
CREATING THE COUNTER FOREIGN INTERFERENCE TASK FORCE, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Counter Foreign 
Interference Act of 2024." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to maintain peace 
and order, protect life, liberty, and property, and promote the general welfare 
as essential for the enjoyment of all citizens of the blessings of democracy. 
Moreover, it is the policy of the State to pursue an independent foreign policy 
wherein national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and the right 
to self-determination serve as paramount considerations in its relations with 
other states. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act: 
A. Access Blocking Order - refers to a legal directive that mandates internet
service providers to restrict access to specific online content or services.
B. Deception - An intentional or reckless act of misleading, whether through
words or conduct, including misrepresentation of intentions and/or
conduct causing an unauthorized response from a computer, machine,
or electronic device.
C. Foreign Agent - refers to any person who acts or agrees to act as political
consultant, public relations counsel, publicity agent, information
representative, or as agent, servant, representative, or attorney for a
foreign principal or for any domestic organization subsidized directly or
indirectly in whole or in part by a foreign principal.
The term "foreign agent" shall not include a duly accredited diplomatic or
consular officer of a foreign country or officials of the United Nations and
its agencies and of other international organizations recognized by the
Republic of the Philippines while engaged in activities within the scope
of their legitimate functions as such officers or a bona fide member or


employee of a foreign press service or news organization while engaged 
in activities within the scope of his legitimate functions as such. 
 
D. Foreign Intelligence Agency - is a specialized organization responsible 
for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of intelligence related to 
foreign entities, including governments, organizations, and individuals, to 
ensure national security and support governmental operations. 
 
E. Foreign Principal - refers to the government of a foreign country or a 
foreign political party; a foreigner located within or outside the jurisdiction 
of the Republic of the Philippines; or a partnership, association, 
corporation, organization or other entity owned or controlled by 
foreigners. 
 
F. Foreign Proxy - refers to any person with a formalized relationship with 
the foreign state who wittingly and knowingly conducts activities on 
behalf of the foreign state's interests. 
 
G. Internet Access Service Provider - refers to any organization that 
provides individuals and companies with access to the internet and 
related services. 
 
H. Online Publication - refers to any content that is published and distributed 
on the internet, including various digital formats such as but not limited 
to websites, blogs, and electronic articles. 
 
I. Person - refers to an individual, partnership, association, corporation or 
any other combination of individuals. 
 
J. Target - refers to individuals or entities that are influenced or coerced by 
foreign actors to further foreign agendas. These targets can face various 
forms of covert influence, manipulation, or intimidation. 
 
SECTION 4. Intentional Foreign Interference. Any person who engages in 
covert, deceptive, coercive, or threatening conduct on behalf of, or in 
collaboration with, or directed, funded, or supervised by, a foreign principal, its 
agent or proxy, with the intention that such conduct will influence the political or 
governmental process, affect the exercise of democratic or political rights or 
duties in the Philippines or any part thereof, support the intelligence activities 
of a foreign principal, or prejudice the national security of the Philippines, shall 
be guilty of committing intentional foreign interference and shall suffer the 
penalty of life imprisonment and/or a fine not less than Five Million Pesos (Php 
5,000,000.00) nor more than Ten Million Pesos (Php 10,000,000.00). 
 
SECTION 5. Intentional Interference Involving Targeted Persons. Any person 
who conceals or fails to disclose to his target his conduct carried out on behalf 
of, or in collaboration with, or directed, funded, or supervised by, a foreign 
principal, its agent or proxy, with the intention that said act or conduct will 
influence another person in relation to a political or governmental process, or 
the exercise of any democratic rights or duties, of the target, shall suffer the 
penalty of life imprisonment and/or a fine not less than Five Million Pesos (Php 
5,000,000.00) nor more than Ten Million Pesos (Php 10,000,000.00). 


 
SECTION 6. Reckless Foreign Interference. Any person who engages in a 
covert, deceptive, threatening, or coercive acts on behalf of, in collaboration 
with, or directed, funded, or supervised by, a foreign principal, its agent or 
proxy, without regard on whether the act will influence the political or 
governmental processes, the exercise of a democratic or political right or duty, 
support the intelligence activities of a foreign principal, its agent or proxy, or 
prejudice the national security of the Philippines, shall suffer the penalty of 
imprisonment of twelve (12) years and/or a fine not less Two Million Pesos (Php 
2,000,000.00) nor more than Five Million Pesos (Php 5,000,000.00). 
 
SECTION 7. Reckless Interference Involving Targeted Persons. Any person 
who conceals or fails to disclose to his target his conduct carried out on behalf 
of, or in collaboration with, or directed, funded, or supervised by, a foreign 
principal, its agent or proxy, without regard on whether the conduct will 
influence another person in relation to political or governmental processes, or 
another person's democratic right or duty shall the penalty of imprisonment of 
twelve (12) years and/or a fine not less Two Million Pesos (Php 2,000,000.00) 
nor more than Five Million Pesos (Php 5,000,000.00). 
 
SECTION 8. Foreign Interference Involving Foreign Intelligence Agencies. It 
shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly or unwittingly provide resources 
or material support to, receive or obtain funds from, or directly or indirectly make 
available funds to, a foreign intelligence agency or any person acting on behalf 
of such agency. Any person found guilty for knowingly committing this provision 
shall be penalized with imprisonment of twenty (20) years and/or a fine not less 
than Five Million Pesos (Php 5,000,000.00) nor more than Ten Million Pesos 
(Php 10,000,000.00). 
 
A penalty of twelve (12) years and/or a fine not less than Two Million Pesos 
(Php 2,000,000.00) nor more than Five Million Pesos (Php 5,000,000.00) shall 
be imposed on any person found guilty of unwittingly committing the 
aforementioned acts. 
 
SECTION 9. Foreign Interference by Electronic Communications Activity. Any 
person who engages in covert or deceptive electronic communications that will 
result in, or involves publishing information on behalf of a foreign principal, its 
agent or proxy, knowing or having reason to believe that the published 
information is likely to prejudice national or public security, negatively impact 
public health, safety, or finances, affect diplomatic relations, incite enmity 
among groups or individuals, undermine public confidence in authorities, or 
influence the outcome of parliamentary and presidential elections or 
referendums, shall be penalized with imprisonment of twenty (20) years and/or 
a fine not less than Five Million Pesos (Php 5,000,000.00) nor more than Ten 
Million Pesos (Php 10,000,000.00). 
 
If, upon determination of the Chairperson of the CFITF that an electronic 
communication will prejudice national or public security, negatively impact 
public health, safety, or finances, affect diplomatic relations, incite enmity 
among groups or individuals, undermine public confidence in authorities, or 
influence the outcome of parliamentary and presidential elections or 
referendums, the Chairperson may issue Access Blocking Order directing the 


internet access service provider to take reasonable steps to disable access by 
end-users in the Philippines to the online publication. 
 
An internet access service provider that does not comply with any access 
blocking order shall be fined with One Million Pesos (Php 1,000,000) for each 
day during which any part of that order is not fully complied with, up to a total 
of Five Hundred Million pesos (Php 500,000,000.00). 
 
SECTION 10. Preparing or Planning for a Foreign Interference Offense. Any 
person who participates in the planning, preparing, or facilitating the 
commission of acts defined and penalized under Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 
hereof shall be penalized with twelve years imprisonment and/or a fine not less 
than Two Million Pesos (Php 2,000,000.00) nor more than Five Million Pesos 
(Php 5,000,000.00). 
 
SECTION 11. Conspiracy to Commit Foreign Interference. Any conspiracy to 
commit foreign interference defined and penalized under defined and penalized 
under Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of twenty 
(20) years imprisonment and/or a fine not less than Five Million Pesos (Php 
5,000,000.00) nor more than Ten Million Pesos (Php 10,000,000.00).  
 
There is conspiracy when two (2) or more persons come to an agreement 
concerning the commission of foreign interference as defined in Sections 4, 5, 
6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 hereof and decide to commit the same. 
 
SECTION 12. Proposal to Commit Foreign Interference. Any person who 
proposes to commit terrorism as defined in Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 
hereof shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of twelve (12) years and/or fine 
not less than Two Million Pesos (Php 2,000,000.00) nor more than Five Million 
Pesos (Php 5,000,000.00). 
 
SECTION 13. The Counter Foreign Interference Task Force. A Counter Foreign 
Interference Task Force (CFITF) is hereby created. The members of the CFITF 
are: (1) National Security Adviser, who shall be its Chairperson; (2) The 
Secretary of Justice who shall be its Vice Chairperson; (3) Commission on 
Election (COMELEC); (4) Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA); (5) Department 
of the Interior and Local Government (DILG); (6) Department of National 
Defense (DND); (7) Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); (8) Department of 
Information and Communications Technology (DICT); (9) Department of Social 
and Welfare Development (DSWD); (10) Commission on Higher Education 
(CHED); (11) Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); (12) Philippine National 
Police (PNP); (13) Anti-Money Laundering Council-Secretariat (AMLCS); and 
(14) Philippine Information Authority (PIA) as its members. 
 
The CFITF will be structured into specialized sub-groups, each focusing on 
critical components such as political, economic, social, technological, 
education, legal, and military. These sub-groups will be tasked to implement 
and 
enhance 
actionable 
plans, 
conducting 
risk 
assessments, 
and 
recommending policy adjustments to address emerging threats. By centralizing 
expertise and resources, CFITF aims to enhance the nation's capacity to 
detect, prevent, and respond to foreign interference, thereby protecting 
democratic processes, economic stability, and national security. 


 
The CFITF shall perform the following functions: 
 
A. Provide comprehensive strategic direction and ensure cohesive 
execution of the National Counter Foreign Interference Strategy across 
various agencies and sectors; 
 
B. Collect, analyze, interference activities, and assess intelligence related 
to foreign interference activities; 
 
C. Develop, review, and recommend policies and legislative measures to 
address and counter foreign interference; 
 
D. Manage and coordinate responses to incidents of foreign interference 
and related crises; 
 
E. Supervise and ensure the effective investigation and prosecution of legal 
cases involving foreign interference; 
 
F. Increase public understanding and resilience regarding foreign 
interference through education and outreach initiatives; 
 
G. Strengthen cybersecurity measures to protect critical infrastructure and 
digital systems from foreign interference; 
 
H. Foster international partnerships and collaborate on counter-interference 
efforts with other countries and global organizations; 
 
I. Conduct regular risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and develop 
strategies to mitigate potential threats; 
 
J. Monitor the effectiveness of counter-interference strategies and provide 
regular reports on progress and challenges; and 
 
K. Oversee the allocation and management of resources necessary for 
effective counter-interference operations. 
 
The NICA shall be the Secretariat of the CFITF and shall be responsible for the 
following functions: 
 
A. Provide administrative support to the CFITF by scheduling and 
organizing meetings; 
 
B. Organize and maintain a repository of documents, reports, and other 
materials related to the task force's work, including records of meetings, 
decisions, and actions taken by the task force; 
 
C. Handle internal communications between task force members and act as 
a liaison between the task force and external stakeholders; and 
 
D. Monitor the progress of the task force's initiatives. 
 


SECTION 15. Extraterritorial Application. Subject to the provision of any treaty 
of which the Philippines is a signatory and to any contrary provision of any law 
of preferential application, the provisions of this Act shall apply: 
 
A. To a Filipino citizen or national who commits any of the acts defined and 
penalized under Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of this Act outside the 
territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines; 
 
B. To individual persons who, although physically outside the territorial 
limits of the Philippines, commit any of the crimes mentioned in 
Paragraph (a) hereof inside the territorial limits of the Philippines; 
 
C. To individual persons who, although physically outside the territorial 
limits of the Philippines, commit any of the said crimes mentioned in 
Paragraph (a) hereof on board Philippine ship or Philippine airship; 
 
D. To individual persons who commit any of said crimes mentioned in 
Paragraph (a) hereof within any embassy, consulate, or diplomatic 
premises belonging to or occupied by the Philippine government in an 
official capacity; 
 
E. To individual persons who, although physically outside the territorial 
limits of the Philippines, commit said crimes mentioned in Paragraph (a) 
hereof against Philippine officials, their representatives, staff. agent, or 
envoy; and 
 
F. To individual persons who, although physically outside the territorial 
limits of the Philippines, commit said crimes directly against the 
Philippine government or their agent. 
 
In case of an individual who is neither a citizen or a national of the Philippines 
who commits any of the crimes mentioned in Paragraph (a) hereof outside the 
territorial limits of the Philippines, the Philippines shall exercise jurisdiction only 
when such individual enters or is inside the territory of the Philippines: Provided, 
That, in the absence of any request for extradition from the state where the 
crime was committed or the state where the individual is a citizen or national, 
or the denial thereof, the CFITF shall refer the case to the Bureau of 
Immigration for deportation or to the DOJ for prosecution in the same manner 
as if the act constituting the offense had been committed in the Philippines. 
 
SECTION 16. Authority of the Anti-Money Laundering Council. In addition to 
the unlawful activities enumerated under Section 2 of Republic Act No. 10365 
or An Act Further Strengthening the Anti-Money Laundering Law, amending for 
the Purpose Republic Act No. 9160, Otherwise known as the Anti-Money 
Laundering Act of 2001, foreign interference, in any form, is hereby considered 
as an unlawful act subject to the authority of the Anti-Money Laundering Council 
to conduct financial investigation, freezing of accounts, and forfeiture of assets. 
 
The AMLC, either upon its own initiative or at the request of the CFITF, is 
hereby authorized to investigate: (a) any property or funds that are in any way 
related to the commission of any acts as defined and penalized under this Act; 
and (b) property or funds of any person or persons in relation to whom there is 


probable cause to believe that such persons are committing or attempting or 
conspiring to commit, or participating in or facilitating the commission of any 
offenses under this Act. 
 
The AMLC may also enlist the assistance of any branch, department, bureau, 
office, agency or instrumentality of the government, including government-
owned and -controlled corporations in undertaking measures to prevent the 
financing of foreign interference or support to foreign intelligence, which may 
include the use of its personnel, facilities and resources. 
 
For purposes of this section and notwithstanding the provisions of Republic Act 
No. 1405, otherwise known as the "Law on Secrecy of Bank Deposits", as 
amended; Republic Act No. 6426, otherwise known as the "Foreign Currency 
Deposit Act of the Philippines", as amended; Republic Act No. 8791, otherwise 
known as "The General Banking Law of 2000" and other laws, the AMLC is 
hereby authorized to inquire into or examine deposits and investments 
suspected of any of the crimes defined and penalized under the provisions of 
this Act with any banking institution or non-bank financial institution and their 
subsidiaries and affiliates without a court order. 
 
SECTION 17. The provisions of the Republic Act No. 4200, otherwise known 
as the "Anti-Wiretapping Law" to the contrary notwithstanding, a law 
enforcement agent or intelligence officer may, upon a written order of the 
Regional Trial Court secretly wiretap, overhear, and listen to, intercept, screen, 
read, surveil, record or collect, with the use of any mode, form, kind or type of 
electronic, mechanical or other equipment or device or technology now known 
or may hereafter be known to science or with the use of any other suitable ways 
and means for the above purposes, any private messages in whatever form, 
kind or nature, spoken or written words (a) between the foreign agent and the 
principal or his representative; (b) between foreign agent and member of the 
Philippine community; (c) or any person charged or suspected of committing 
any of the provisions of this act. 
 
The law enforcement agent or intelligence officer shall likewise be obligated to 
(1) file an ex-parte application with the Regional Trial Court for the issuance of 
an order, to compel telecommunications service providers (TSP) and internet 
service providers (ISP) to produce all customer information and identification 
records as well as call and text data records, content and other cellular or 
internet metadata of any person suspected of any of the crimes defined and 
penalized under the provisions of this Act; and (2) furnish the National 
Telecommunications Commission (NTC) a copy of said application. 
 
The NTC shall likewise be notified upon the issuance of the order for the 
purpose of ensuring immediate compliance. 
 
SECTION 18. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The CFITF and the DOJ 
shall forthwith promulgate such rules and regulations for the effective 
implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days after its effectiveness. 
 
SECTION 19. Separability Clause. If, for any reason, any provision or part 
hereof is declared unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act shall not be 
affected by such declaration. 


 
SECTION 20. Repealing Clause. All provisions of law which are in conflict with 
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 21. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.