The Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team (PAPT) led by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Optical Media Board (OMB) strengthened its campaign against software piracy further south and found unlicensed software being used in three businesses (Prince Warehouse Club, Virginia Foods and Innoland Development Corporation); three retail malls in Cebu, namely 138 Mall, Elizabeth Mall and Collonade Mall, were also visited by the PAPT to stamp out sale of pirated software discs.
In May 2013, PAPT members IPOPHIL and OMB conducted inspections in different businesses in South Metro Area (Laguna and Batangas) and now extended their visits to the Visayas region.
Upon inspection, three of the commercial businesses, namely Prince Warehouse Club, Virginia Foods and Innoland Development Corporation were found to be in possession of unlicensed software. One company, Ricor Mills, refused the inspection and thus was issued an order from OMB for further investigations.
A Forensic Study by Microsoft highlighted that the use of pirated software opens the possibility of being exposed to malware infections which can not only disrupt people’s lives but also reduce job opportunities and tax revenues for the government.
Infection rates of pirated software varied significantly across Southeast Asia: In the Philippines (42%) 2 out of five computers and DVDS tested were found to be infected with malware. Having a branded PC or laptop does not guarantee security from these threats as pirated copies of software installers like Microsoft and Adobe can now be loaded in hard disks.
“Even a small fraction of businesses using pirated software can result in a big downfall in our economy, which must be stopped,” commented PNP Supt. Francisco Esguerra during the raids.
The crackdown yielded 21 sacks of assorted pirated CDs, including various versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office, Xbox games and other Windows applications, along with assorted installers containing infringing software belonging to Adobe, Cyber link, Autocad, among others, were seized from seven pirated disc retailers during the retail sweeps in 138 Mall, E-Mall and Collonade Mall.
“Software piracy continues to negatively impact the country despite having one of the lowest software piracy rates in Southeast Asia. Software piracy deprives the economy of hundreds of millions of pesos in businesses that have lost revenues due to uncollected taxes. It also deprives the people of thousands of job opportunities which could have lessened the current unemployment rate in the country,” added IPOPHL Director General Ricardo Blancaflor.
Software piracy is a violation of the copyright provisions of the IP code of the Philippines (RA 8293) and Optical Media Act (RA 9239) and carries with it penalties of up to nine years of imprisonment, a fine of up to 1.5 million pesos, or both.
The PAPT, formed in 2005, is comprised of the National Bureau of Investigation, OMB, Philippine National Police and the IPOPHL, which joined the group in 2011. Its aim is to undertake an integrated and coordinated effort by the government to counteract the negative effects of software piracy on the local IT industry and the economy.
