Congressman: Increase film piracy penalty to P1.5 M!

[sharkey360]

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Agusan del Sur Lone District Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” G. Plaza has urged for the increase of penalty of film pirates to at least P1,500,000-fine and an imprisonment of at least three years and not more than six years!

During a recent press conference with entertainment writers, columnists and editors, Rep. Plaza said that the penalty provided for in the current Optical Media Board (OMB, now headed by actor-producer-director Ronnie Ricketts) is too low, and this is the reason violations of the law is rampant, he said.

“Film piracy,” Rep. Plaza stressed, “is practically sucking out the last breath of the film industry and we are about to witness its funeral procession.”

He added that the law which created the OMB is very weak. “It needs to be amended so that it is given more teeth against film piracy!

Expressing so much concern and sympathy to film workers who have been long deprived of their works, Rep. Plaza is filing an amendment to the law which created OMB.

The penalty provisions of the proposed amendments cover the following: A minimum of 10 copies pirated found in the possession of an individual or a store owner is already punishable. In cases where the person is the owner or sole proprietor of the store, that person shall be charged in court and his or her store – a stall in a shopping mall or along a street – shall immediately be closed or padlocked.

If and when a store is owned by a corporation, the officers and directors of the corporation shall all be held responsible and charged in court! Their business permit to operate shall also be revoked.

“With these penalty provisions, we can have a shot-in-the-arm for our local movie industry,” Rep. Plaza stressed.

Rep. Plaza also observed that there has been no significant improvement yet in the enforcement of the anti-piracy law as shown by the fact that some stores flagrantly display their pirated movies, aside from witnessing those ambulant vendors even selling those pirated videos to police officers or in front of the law enforcers.

Rep. Plaza added that the movie is the best tool for promoting Philippine cultures, values, and national identity. With our movies, he said, we could best be understood by other races in the world!

Rep. Plaza is a senatorial candidate in the 2010 national and local elections. With his pro-film industry advocacy, he is expected to contribute more for the industry!

Indeed, it is very difficult to imagine the Philippines without its own movie industry!

Source - Rep. Plaza: Increase film piracy penalty to P1.5 M! | Manila Bulletin

[jrconde]

mag ningani na lagi if hapit na elections.

[sharkey360]

The OMB is often under-funded. How can they fight piracy like that?

[nirdle_phogi]

mao ba? wala man gani nila na-undang nang piracy online.. hahaha...

[Click Here]

I-legalize nalang ng mga Pirated DVD para ma-kolektahan ug tax!

[sharkey360]

To fight piracy on the streets and online requires a tremendously large budget, skills and technology. The government has the resources to fund the OMB but there are those who don't have the political will.

[sharkey360]

I wonder what happened to the proposal...

[kamikaze_007]

..zzzzZZZZ..


..gi padaku lang ang multa..pero wa gyud lihok..lolz..

..mga dan sa colon oh..side walk vendors kay mga pirated sellers man..naa pa gale mga establishments na namaligya ug mga pirated..

..hinuon sad.."best things in life are PIRATED?"..hahahaha..