Philippines: Cigarette Firms Urged to File Charges vs Counterfeiters

Source from:  Sun Star 12/24/2015

With the confiscation of over P12 million worth of counterfeit cigarettes in Davao City, the regional office of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) pushed for the protection of the cigarette's brands Intellectual Property Rights.

"We believe that the companies who were victims of these bogus brands are filing cases against the manufacturers of these counterfeit cigarettes," Maria Belenda Q. Ambi, DTI regional director said in a phone interview with Sun.Star Davao.

The counterfeit cigarettes carried the brands of Marlboro, More, Fortune, Philip Morris, Jackpot, and Hope and other assorted cigarettes stored in different warehouses in Davao City, including HBTT Marketing Warehouse (HBTT), were recently seized by the Bureau of Customs - Enforcement Group (BOC-EG) in an operation touted as the biggest haul of counterfeit cigarettes for this year.

"Any company that will experience such should file a case in relation to Intellectual Property Rights Law," Ambi said.

She said that the DTI's - Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) is the lead agency responsible for handling the registration and conflict resolution of intellectual property rights.

According to IPOPHL's website, Intellectual property (IP) "refers to any creation or product of the human mind or intellect. It can be an invention, an original design, a practical application of a good idea, a mark of ownership such as trademark, literary and artistic works, among other things."

Authorities served to HBTT, owner of fake cigarettes storage in Davao the Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) pursuant to violation of Section 2530 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines for non-payment of duties and taxes, and in relation to Intellectual Property Rights Law. Enditem