NBI tightens noose on textbook pirates

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to take legal and law enforcement action against the proliferation of pirated medical, scientific and medical textbooks amid reports of the growing menace of copyright theft in the academic sector.

The NBI gave an ultimatum to local printers and book sellers suspected of engaging in the illegal reproduction of these copyrighted materials in response to the clamor by local and international publishers for decisive government action against the rampant violation of the country’s Intellectual Property Code.

The NBI also warned textbook pirates that Presidential Decree 1203 has already been repealed and that the laws on intellectual property rights are now in full enforcement in the country. PD 1203 previously permitted the local reproduction of imported textbook materials.

"Textbook pirates cannot invoke the protection of a law that has already been repealed," the NBI said.

The NBI warning followed reports that legitimate local and international publishers lost close to $60 million in revenues last year due to the rampant illegal reproduction and selling of scientific, technical and medical textbooks in the country. The figure reflects a 36 percent increase from losses inked by publishers in 1999 due to copyright piracy in the Philippines.

Statistics showed that the country is now "the second largest book piracy haven in Asia."

The copyright piracy problem significantly affected the decision by the United States Trade Representative office to place the Philippines in the Priority Watchlist of notorious intellectual property rights violators in the world.

The losses reflect a worsening copyright piracy situation in the country fueled by modern printing technologies "and the reported participation of academic personnel in the racket." The NBI said it has also received information that "certain university professors are now also selling pirated textbooks to their students."

The NBI said the crackdown on textbook piracy syndicates "is a priority of the government and will take place sooner than expected."