Various fake goods worth P500 million, among them bags and cosmetics, seized at the Port of Manila were destroyed in Valenzuela City Saturday, August 7.
Through crushing and shredding, the fake items were disposed of at the RCU Waste Management Facility.
According to the Bureau of Customs, the counterfeit products were shipped into the country imitating brands such as Unilever, Prada, and Gucci.
The condemnation of the seized items, the bureau said, aims to prevent the entry and proliferation of counterfeit goods in the country. It was conducted in accordance with Section 1146 of RA 10863 otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Port of Manila District Collector Michael Angelo Vargas said the counterfeit products were seized by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service and Enforcement and Security Services and were later forfeited in favor of the government pursuant to Sections 1113 and 118 of the CMTA.
During the condemnation activity, Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla warned erring importers against attempts to circumvent the country's intellectual property laws and reiterated the bureau's commitment to remain transparent in the performance of its mandate.
The disposition of the seized shipments was witnessed Customs officials, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines Deputy Director General Teodoro Pascua and representatives from the Baranda Law Firm, and brand owners Unilever, Prada and Gucci through the bureau's Facebook live program.