OMB destroys surrendered DVDs

About five truckloads of pirated DVDs and VCDs were destroyed by personnel of the Optical Media Board (OMB) after these were "surrendered" by members of the Quiapo Muslim Barter Trade Cooperative at the Bonifacio Shrine yesterday.

OMB Chairman Edu Manzano said that he was pleased with the gesture of the Quiapo Muslim Barter Trade Cooperative.

The Muslim Barter Trade Cooperative through their spokesperson, lawyer Dalidig Sumdad, promised to help the OMB in its fight to rid Quiapo of the pirated VCD and DVD trade.

For his part, Manzano said the government’s drive is not just focused on pirated movie discs, but also against counterfeit goods, counterfeit drugs, book piracy, end-user piracy, and all other forms of piracy, which are dangerous to the economy and public safety.

"This is just the beginning of a more focused and coordinated anti-piracy campaign that will prove the Philippine government’s resolve to protect knowledge which will hopefully lead to more investment opportunities, jobs, and healthy and thriving creative industries," he said.

Meanwhile, agents of the Bureau of Customs’ Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) also foiled yesterday morning an attempt to smuggle 60,000 pornographic DVDs  from the Customs zone in Clark, Pampanga.

Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Celso Templo said the shipment had just been unloaded from a cargo plane when it was seized by Customs agents. The shipment, Templo said, was worth at least P10 million and was flown to Manila from Malaysia by way of Singapore.

According to Templo, smugglers of pirated and pornographic DVDs and VCDs are now using the country’s subports after shipments through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport were intercepted by Customs agents.

Templo said the Bureau of Customs is now closely monitoring all shipments that arrive in the country with emphasis on those that violate the Intellectual Property Rights.