THE Philippine National Police (PNP) destroyed on Monday pirated and counterfeited products worth P100 million at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Present during the event were PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Benjamin Magalong Optical Media Board (OMB) Chairman Ronnie Ricketts, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines Director General Allan Gepty and officials from the National Book Development Board, the National Telecommunications Commission and National Bureau of Investigation.
Majority of the products destroyed were pirated DVDs of local and international movies, fake versions of signature bags, sunglasses and clothes as well as beauty products and medicines which include sex enhancing pills from China.
Gepty said these bogus goods, particularly beauty products and medicines, can pose danger to the consumer.
“Malaki talaga ang epekto kapag bumili ka ng counterfeit products kasi kapag bumili ka ng isang counterfeit product ‘yung gumawa nyan hindi naman authorized or licensed manufacturer. In the first place ‘yung kanyang authenticity hindi registered. Hindi yan nagbayad ng license fee, hindi yan nagbayad ng registration fee," he said.
"Hindi rin nagbabayad ng buwis yan. hindi yan nagcocomply sa labor law. Substandard ‘yung product. ‘Yung safety mo macocompromise lalo na kapag medicine,” Gepty added.
Gepty said they did not crush all seized contraband since some of these are being used as evidence against counterfeiters.
“Kaya ‘yung aming palaging message sa mga right holders is dapat maging vigilant sila, dapat mag-file sila ng complaint sa mga gagawa ng pekeng versions ng products nila, at least may masampolan tayong nagbebenta nga mga counterfeit products na yan para makita nila na seryoso tayo (in apprehending them),” said Gepty.
He also urged the public to shun products that are not genuine as doing so can adversely affect the country’s economy. (Sunnex)