Muslim official: Spare foreign DVDs from anti-piracy drive

CEBU, Philippines - The top official of the National Commission on Muslim-Filipinos (NCMF) in Central Visayas assured that he will not be protecting his Muslim brothers who will be caught selling pornographic materials.

NCMF regional director Malo Manonggiring however asked the government authorities to spare in its anti-piracy campaign the selling of pirated foreign movies.

Manonggiring said that pirated foreign movies do not affect the local movie industries. According to Manonggiring, he had talked with Dr. Lucille Mercado, chairperson of the Cebu City Anti-Indecency Board (CAIB), and he encouraged her to go on with the campaign against those vendors selling pornographic digital materials.

Manonggiring explained that if the products being pirated are internationally produced it will not affect our local movie industry. He added it will instead give advantage to the public who can buy the product in cheaper price.

Pirated Digital Video Discs and Video Compact Discs are openly displayed on sidewalks in Cebu City and neighboring areas.

Republic Act 9239 or the Optical Media Act of 2003 has empowered the law enforcement authorities, particularly the Optical Media Board, to fight against video piracy.

The law however seems to have been taken for granted. The law gives more teeth for stricter and stiffer penalty against those involved in piracy.

According to Manonggiring, the government should help the Muslims who do not know how to make money aside from their little business of selling pirated products.

The campaign against pirated DVD’s and other kinds of similar pirated products had been stopped after the Muslims in Cebu have openly supported Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan. — (FREEMAN)