By Ivy Tejano and Armando Fenequito Jr.
DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has destroyed 440 sacks of confiscated pirated digital optical disc storage or DVDs, including CD writers and televisions, worth P63 million outside its headquarters at the Camp Captain Domingo E. Leonor in San Pedro Street on Thursday afternoon (January 17).
The contraband DVDs were obtained from raids conducted in areas in the city where the sale of pirated DVDs and CDs has been rampant.
The operations were conducted by the DCPO, in coordination with the Optical Media Board (OMB), headed by lawyer Anselmo B. Adriano, and Task Force (TF) Davao.
Destruction of P63 million worth of pirated DVDs confiscated in Davao City last September. (ARMANDO FENEQUITO JR. / MANILA BULLETIN)
Adriano said the confiscation of the DVDs and CDs was done in accordance with the Republic Act 9239 or The Optical Media Act of 2003, which prohibits the mastering, manufacture, replication, importation/exportation of optical media in all forms that is inimical to economic growth and public interest.
“We announced such operation against pirated DVDs and CDs to show the public that we enforce the law, that whatever is confiscated it will be totally destroyed,” Adriano said in an interview with the media and authorities.
Authorities have previously conducted operations in identified areas in Davao City where the sale of pirated DVDs and CDs was rampant in September 2018. The OMB said Davao City belongs to the top 5 in the list with the highest number confiscated discs in 2018.
DCPO director Sr. Supt. Alexander Tagum, meanwhile, said it was their mandate to continue what they have started.
According to law, importing, exporting, buying, selling, distribution of possession of optical media such as DVDs and CDs without permit from the OMB would be subjected to fines amounting to P500,000 to P1.5 million, and/or an imprisonment of three to six years upon the court’s discretion.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 director Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales, in support to the campaign of the OMB, said tolerating video and music piracy was similar to the robbery of intellectual properties.
“Creating and manufacturing pirated DVDs/CDs is only the same as stealing and patronizing stolen property. We will surely intensify our anti-piracy efforts to eradicate the production and marketing of the pirated discs,” Morales said.