(Eagle News) – More than P65 million worth of counterfeit products, including boxes of fake DVDs, cellphones, watches, shoes and bags, as well as cigarettes, were destroyed in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Friday, April 12.
The event led by the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights was done as part of the activities for the celebration of Intellectual Property Rights month this April.
There were also fake medicines that were confiscated and destroyed on Friday, according to the Intellectual Property Office Deputy Director Atty. Ted Pascua.
Pascua said that these fake medicines are very dangerous.
“Any amount of counterfeit pharmaceuticals is very alarming. Kasi you just don’t know when one tablet can kill somebody,” he said.
Pascua said that they are already coordinating with the Food and Drugs Administration to prevent the spread of these fake medicines.
The products are part of the P23 billion worth of fake products that were confiscated last year by various government agencies.
Officials from the Intellectual Property Office said that they would also monitoring online stores which are selling fake products.
“Dalawa po ang kailangang magtulungan dito. Yung mga brand owners at ang ating law enforcement agency. Hindi po makakakilos ang law enforcement agency na wala pong pahintulot o kaalaman ang ating brand owners,” said Josephine Santiago, IPO director general.
The National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights also called on the public not to buy fake or counterfeit products as these do not help the economy.
(By Mar Gabriel, Eagle News Service)
