The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has deployed agents inside movie houses in Metro Manila to arrest suspects who are involved in the illegal recording of films and sold as pirated DVD copies of movies.
Head agent Roland Argabioso of the NBI Field Operations Division said the bureau will assist other agencies in arresting the so-called “flickers” who record films inside the movie theaters.
He said suspects would be charged with violation of Republic Act 8293 (Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines) for Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
Argabioso said usually the syndicates manufacturing pirated DVD copies of movies, send out about five of their men inside a movie house, each handling a video recorder that are small enough to be hidden inside a jacket or small bag.
He said each suspect record only a portion of the movie, and when they are caught, they could always say it is just part of the movie and not the whole film.
He said the suspects would always say that the recording is only for their own personal use, a souvenir, and not for commercial use.
The NBI had raided a warehouse containing a DVD duplicating machine worth P600 million that is used to manufacture pirated DVD movies.