The Crime of Espionage
Espionage has been defined as offense of gathering, transmitting, or losing information respecting the national defense with intent or reason to believe that the information is to be used to the injury of the Republic of the Philippines or to the advantage of any foreign nation. (See the opening sentence of Section 1 and other sections of Commonwealth Act No. 616) Article 117 of the Revised Penal Code provides: Art. 117. Espionage. - The penalty of prision correccional shall be inflicted upon any person who : 1. Without authority therefor, enters a warship, fort, or naval or military establishment or reservation to obtain any information, plans, photographs, or other data of a confidential nature relative to the defense of the Philippine Archipelago; or 2. Being in possession, by reason of the public office he holds, of the articles, data, or information referred to in the preceding paragraph, discloses their contents to a representative of a foreign nation. The penalty nex...