Value of seized fakes hits P23.6B in 2018
Credit to Author: TYRONE JASPER C. PIAD| Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2019 16:22:09 +0000
Seized pirated and counterfeit goods last year grew by 188 percent to P23.6 billion, the highest the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) has recorded since its establishment in 2008.
In a statement on Thursday, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), along with NCIPR, said confiscated fake products last year grew almost by threefold from P8.2 billion in 2017.
Fake cigarettes and alcohol were valued at P20.24 billion and P3 million respectively, representing 86 percent of the total seized products.
“Consistent with the trend we’ve seen all year, fake cigarettes and alcohol led this record haul — the formula for which we believe is the firm determination and vigilance of brand owners to pursue these counterfeiters,” said IPOPHL Director General Josephine Santiago.
Next to fake cigarettes and alcohol, confiscated pharmaceutical and personal care items amounted to P1.2 billion. This was followed by fake handbags and wallets worth P821 million; optical media products, P790 million; footwear, P191 million; wearing apparel and accessories, P83.6 million; consumer electronics, P75 million; computer and computer accessories, P34 million; food, P3.3 million; and watches and jewelry, P1.8 million.
Other items, like motorcycle LED lights, industrial goods and plush toys, were valued atP70 million.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) filed 143 cases in relation with the confiscated products. A total of 82 arrests were made by PNP and FDA during the period. Breaking down the product confiscation by agency, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) had P11 billion; NBI, P5.3 billion; PNP, P1.4 billion; and FDA, P5.8 billion.
Santiago said the agency needs the “indispensable cooperation” from legitimate brand owners now more than ever as illegal traders are pursuing “heavily-taxed” products.
At the start of the year, President Rodrigo Duterte certified a bill seeking to increase tax on cigarette and alcohol as urgent.
“[E]nforcement efforts should not end with seizures, but follow through to convictions of perpetrators. Bringing them to justice, coupled with the public’s active rejection of counterfeits, will complete the formula to sustain this crusade in 2019,” the IPOPHL chief added.
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