Government steps up anti-piracy drive

Fighting piracy is fighting poverty.

With this in mind, President Arroyo urged all government units, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the private sector to further expand and strengthen the enforcement of the government’s drive against intellectual piracy.

"Fighting piracy is fighting poverty because it enables Filipino excellence and enterprise to rise in the global arena, expanding opportunities and jobs along the way," she said in her speech during the thanksgiving lunch with the officers and members of the Intellectual Property Coalition at Malacañang.

The President explained that both government agencies and the private sector should continue to expand the regulatory framework for the protection and promotion of intellectual property rights until the country is finally off the watchlist of the US government.

She ordered PNP chief Director General Arturo Lomibao to triple the efforts of the police in the raid of violating establishments and intensify the effort to bring offenders to justice and make them face the consequences of their nefarious acts.

Mrs. Arroyo also asked Lomibao to double the number of police enforcers assigned to fight piracy while the Department of Justice will deputize all the provincial prosecutors to fight intellectual piracy. – Aurea Calica