Friday, June 01, 2007 2 Mandaue firms raided for ‘using’ pirated software
AGENTS from the government’s anti-piracy team raided two companies in Mandaue City for alleged use of unlicensed software and seized 82 computers and various software installers.
Armed with search warrants issued by Judge Marino de la Cruz of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 22, operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation-Intellectual Property Rights Division (NBI-IPRD) raided Cannon Creek Asia Inc., an outsourcing company, and Design Editions International Inc., a company that engages in manufactures and design of furniture, both in Mandaue City last Tuesday.
NBI-IPRD is a member of the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team (PAPT).
Unlicensed
The operations resulted in the seizure of unlicensed software installers and 82 computers loaded with unlicensed software from Adobe Corporation and Microsoft Inc. amounting to P9-million.
Of the computer, 70 were confiscated from Cannon Creek and 12 from Design Editions.
Lawyer Jose Justo Yap, NBI-IPRD chief, said in a press conference yesterday that their team is preparing charges against the two companies for violation of Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code.
He said the raids last Tuesday were part of the intensified campaign by PAPT against software piracy, not only in Cebu but in the entire country.
Apart from the anti-software operation, PAPT members from the Optical Media Board (OMB), Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and NBI also raided several stalls in Cebu City selling pirated video home system (VHS) tapes, video compact discs (VCDs) and digital video discs (DVDs). The seized items were estimated to have a market value of P6-million.
Lawyer Resty Meneses of the OMB said that although no persons were arrested during the “unannounced inspections,” charges would be filed against the owners of the stalls.
Recognizing the very rampant selling of pirated discs in the country, Meneses said a memorandum of agreement between the OMB and the PNP is being finalized that would authorize and deputize the policemen in the different areas in the country to conduct anti-piracy operations in their respective localities.
Senior Supt. Noel delos Reyes of the CIDG-Anti Economic Task Force clarified yesterday that the raids, including those Cebu, were conducted based on leads given to them by several people through the PAPT’s website.
He said some companies were sent letters informing them about the allegation. But for those companies where the team already gathered enough evidence, raids are immediately conducted, he said. (JST)
