OMB: Pirates’ days are numbered with joint efforts
Manila Times
The Optical Media Board (OMB) is intensifying operations against software pirates in the country.
It is the government unit that regulates the manufacture of optical media in all its forms and impose stiffer fines and penalties for its illegal reproduction.
Targeting all forms of software copyright infringement, OMB agents are hard at work in identifying possible violators and pressing due penalties to those found guilty of violating the IPR and OMB law.
To date, it has conducted operations in malls, targeting retailers, Internet cafés and business establishments known to house copyright violators.
In end-October, agents from the Intelligence Inspection Division of the OMB conducted surprise inspections in business establishments located in key areas around the Metro including EDSA Central, SM City North EDSA Cyberzone, Tri-Noma, Tektite Towers and other business establishments in Pasig City, Mandaluyong City and San Juan.
The series of surprise inspections spread an alarming fear among business owners, pushing them to start legalizing their softwares and stop piracy, an act detrimental to the industry and economy.
OMB confiscated thousands of optical discs and other equipment such as CPU towers, CD-ROMs and CD burners utilized for copyright infringement.
Owners of establishments found utilizing pirated software were warned about the adverse penalties of copyright infringement including closure of business and possible imprisonment.
OMB Executive Director Atty. Rosendo Meneses promised to see to it that all forms of business establishments from multinational companies down to Internet cafés all over the country will be inspected in the next few weeks.
He said that the OMB is strongly committed to hunt down software pirates and conduct more enforcement actions not only around the metro, but also in key cities around the country where piracy is rampant.
Software piracy is a violation of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, and is punishable of up to nine years imprisonment and a fine of up to P1.5 million pesos.
“Let this serve as a warning to all copyright violators: Your days are numbered! The OMB will stop at nothing until the menace of piracy is eradicated in the country. We enjoin the public including the media and the local city governments to be more vigilant and report business establishments who are engaging in software piracy,” warned Atty. Meneses.
OMB is a member of the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team or PAPT, a government-led initiative. Other members are the National Bureau of Investigations and the Philippine National Police.
PAPT has become the embodiment of the government’s efforts to eliminate software piracy and promote faster growth of the country’s information technology (IT) industry.
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