Sy, caught selling 210 cases of fake shampoos in a raid conducted in August 2001, received the maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a fine of P200,000.
Eugenio also ordered him to pay complainant Unilever Philippines Inc. close to P3 million by way of actual and moral damages. Sy is the son-in-law of the earlier accused Dong.
Unilever Philippines, one of the leading manufacturers of home and personal care products in the country, is just part of a bigger industry represented by the Soaps and Detergents Association of the Philippines (SDAP).
The organization is composed of various companies in the soaps and shampoo business that fight against the proliferation of fake products in the market.
Since 2001, the number of fake shampoos and soaps peddled on the streets has increased. This has affected a big percentage of the businesses of the soap and detergent industry. Because of this, Unilever Philippines and other members of SDAP took action to fight these illegal traders.
With the help of a private agency and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), more than 100 raids have been conducted nationwide. Cases were filed against guilty parties and last month, the industry achieved a milestone in the conviction of Dong.
Apart from the raids, members of the SDAP also met with Customs Deputy Commissioner Rey Allas for a walk-through of Customs’ processes to prevent fake products from entering the country.
Most companies have changed their sachet packaging to incorporate anti-fake protection. SDAP has also been actively informing the public on the hazardous effects of fake products. Findings show that these fake shampoos are of relatively low pH, which can be harmful to the scalp.
The court said it imposed the maximum penalty of five years imprisonment "to send a message to all those who continue to manufacture and distribute fake products that they cannot go above the law."
"Unlike fake shirts, which the buyer only has to wear without inflicting any harm to their health, victims of fake shampoos and cosmetics have to deal with the dangers and hazards of skin irritation and hair loss," Eugenio said.