PNP seizes P24 million worth of counterfeit products and pirated software

Three teams of the Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Division of the Philippine National Police, led by Senior Superintendent Noel delos Reyes, confiscated a total of P24 million worth of fake products and unlicensed software. In a back-to-back operation dubbed Operation Mega Shoppers, the PNP seized 7,476 pairs of counterfeit Adidas goods valued at more than P19 million peddled at 32 stalls of the Car Park Shopping Compound in Pasay City, and almost P5 million worth of assorted unlicensed Microsoft and Adobe software loaded in 41 computer units of Drugcheck Philippines, Inc. in Pasig City.  

“This is a team effort among member-organizations of the National Committee for Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR). The PNP has been closely coordinating with other government agencies in intensifying raids and spot inspections based on the recent directives of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to sustain gains in protecting IPR,” delos Reyes said.  

IP Philippines recently hosted the first strategic planning workshop for 2007 for NCIPR members, which include the PNP, Department of Justice, Bureau of Customs, Optical Media Board, National Bureau of Investigation and the National Book Development Board. Since its creation in 2005 to-date, NCIPR has seized more than P2 billion worth of counterfeit goods.  

“The PNP has been swift in providing us post-operative reports on raids for the updating of our database and enforcement monitoring system where we consolidate information and reports gathered from other agencies,” Atty. Adrian S. Cristobal Jr., Director General of IP Philippines, said.     

In the report, four Chinese nationals were arrested in the Adidas raid namely, Yang Nga, Lua Co, Aileen Jing and Ato Ke for violating section 155 (trademark infringement) in relation to section 168 (unfair competition) of Republic Act 8293 or the IP Code of the Philippines. Meanwhile, Zenaida Nicolas and John Catindig of Drugcheck Philippines, Inc. were taken in for questioning for violating section 177 (copyright or economic rights) in relation to section 217 (copyright infringement penalties) of the code.  

Judge Felixberto Olalia Jr. of the Regional Trial Court of Manila issued the search warrants for the Adidas raid while Executive Judge Reynaldo Ros of RTC Branch 33 issued the search warrants for the software raid. The searches were conducted in the presence of the occupants, barangay officials and security officers of the establishments.   

IP Philippines recently conducted a four-day advanced course on intellectual property law for judges in commercial courts in partnership with the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the National Judicial Institute Canada-Juris Project. Some of the course’s topics included presentation of landmark jurisprudence on IP law and the application of key principles and doctrines in resolving cases.