The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (Ipophl) has targeted six domains and subdomains offering pirated movies in a move coinciding with National Anti-Piracy Month this October.
In a statement on Tuesday, Oct. 29, Ipophl said the move follows complaints filed by the Motion Pictures Association (MPA), which represents major Hollywood studios.
SFlix (sflix.to, sflix.se, sflix.is) and MyFlixer (myflixerz.to, myflixertv.to, myflixer.today) are the targeted domains, allegedly offering unauthorized access to copyrighted films like "Shazam!", "Raya and the Last Dragon," and "Top Gun: Maverick."
Following Ipophl’s established protocol, the blocking requests were posted on their website for five days before being sent to internet service providers (ISPs) on Tuesday.
This period allows website owners a chance to respond according to the agency's Voluntary Administrative Site Blocking rules.
“By hosting pirated content and allowing users to access illegal copies through downloading or streaming, Respondents undermine the exclusive rights of Complainants,” the requests read, noting such are violations of Section 216 of Republic Act 18293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (IP Code) as amended.
Ipophl’s investigation confirmed the presence of pirated content on the listed domains.
“Ipophl is committed to safeguard the rights of artists and the opportunities that could shape the future of the Philippine creative economy,” Ipophl Deputy Director General Nathaniel S. Arevalo said.
“As an ex-officio member of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council, IPOPHL is one with the nation in fighting bad actors that derail efforts in cultivating a safe creative environment for artists—an environment where our imaginations can push boundaries and where investments towards creative expressions grow and lead to new works that keep the Philippine’s creative momentum upward and moving,” he added.