NBI seizes fake bags

Some P500,000 worth of backpacks bearing the popular Jansport brand were seized by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) during a raid of two stores in Tondo, Manila, last Friday.

In a statement, the raided stores were identified as Bags Are Us Corp., located at the Tutuban Center, Claro M. Rector Avenue, owned and managed by a certain Wilson Lee; and Robell’s Bags and Accessories, located at 34-A Mata Street, Tondo, Manila, owned and managed by a certain Billy Belleza.

According to the NBI, the stores were raided following a complaint filed by the legal counsels of the US-based Jansport Apparel Corp. and Zentitic (Far East), a market research firm, against local manufacturers of backpacks illegally bearing the Jansport trademark.

Acting on the complaint, agents of the NBI’s Intellectual Property Rights Division conducted a surveillance operation against the two stores. The NBI said that the manufacture of backpacks illegally bearing the Jansport brand by the two stores was confirmed after a series of test buys.

The NBI then secured a search warrant from Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 24 Judge Antonio Eugenio and conducted a raid of the two stores.

Charges of unfair competition and false representation under the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 8293 are now being readied by the NBI against the proprietors of the raided stores. – Mike Frialde