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Govt seizes P2B in pirated goods as of H1
(Philippine Daily Inquirer Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) THE NATIONAL Committee for Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) has seized some P1.39 billion worth of pirated goods in the first semester alone.
This is equivalent to almost half the value of counterfeit goods the committee confiscated since its inception in 2005.
The groupspearheaded by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and composed of enforcement agencies Bureau of Customs, National Bureau of Investigation, Optical Media Board and Philippine National Policehas hauled in close to P4 billion worth of pirated items since its creation.
IP Philippines director general Adrian Cristobal Jr. said the value of confiscated goods in the January-June period had already surpassed the total haul last year of P1.35 billion.
This (first half) figure is the outcome of strengthened institutional linkage among NCIPR members that share vital information that yield successful raids, he said.
Over the past two years, he said IP Philippines and the enforcement agencies had been coordinating more closely with other NCIPR members, including the Department of Justice, National Book Development Board, National Telecommunications Commission and the Supreme Court.
Since January, NCIPR enforcement agencies have conducted inspections on 870 sites on the strength of 262 search warrants.
In 10 operations, the agencies were able to issue warrant seizure and detention.
The BOC raked in the largest value of pirated goods at P458 million in the first six months, more than half the P723 million worth of goods it seized last year.
The OMB contributed another P443 million to the total, confiscating pirated optical discs through various raids all over the country.
The PNP seized pirated items valued at P340 million, arrested 86 individuals, and filed nine cases, while the NBI confiscated P153 million worth of fake goods and filed 110 cases with the DOJ.
All these efforts are in line with the Presidents directive of upholding intellectual property rights since this promotes diffusion of knowledge, develops local talent and creativity, and at the same time encourages more foreign investors to endow their strong qualities in the Philippine market, Cristobal said.
Copyright 2007 INQ7 Interactive Inc, Source: The Financial Times Limited
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