|
By William B. Depasupil, Reporter
The Presidential Anti-Smuggling
Group (PASG) chief, Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr., on Monday
called for a congressional inquiry into the reported P10-million
payoff to some members of the Optical Media Board (OMB) in exchange
for the anomalous release of two replicating machines seized
earlier.
At the same time, Villar also
asked President Gloria Arroyo to create a separate fact-finding
committee that would look into the allegedly shady release of the
machines, which could produce millions of copies of pirated CDs and
DVDs a month.
According to him, the two
replicating machines were worth at least P100 million. They were
seized during a lightning raid on two-story house at No. 71 De Jesus
Street, Barangay San Antonio, San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City,
owned by a certain Trajano Tin Fu, a Malaysian also known as “Ahok.”
The machines were reported
missing last week. They were reportedly forcibly taken from the
house on De Jesus Street on June 16 by unidentified aided by several
Quezon City policemen.
Board blames PASG
The Optical Media Board legal
chief, lawyer Cyrus Paul Valenzuela, has put the blame on the
Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group for the missing replicating
machines, saying that they did turn them over to the Board.
Villar belied Valenzuela’s
allegation, saying that the machines and other items were placed
under the custody of the Optical Media Board on April 3, 2009.
“I want this OMB official
grilled for him to name names, especially big fishes in government
involved in the shady deal, and to cut short the unfounded attacks
against the reputation of PASG in implementing its duty as specified
under Executive Order 624,” he said.
Villar pointed out that on June
5, 2009, Executive Judge Vivencio Baclig of the Quezon City Regional
Trial Court granted the April 17 motion of the Optical Media Board,
praying for the continuous preventive custody of the replicating
machines and equipment.
“We don’t know their [OMB
officials] game-show of putting the blame on us. We have all the
papers belying their accusations,” he claimed, appealing to the
Board for fair play.
“We are just helping other
government agencies, like the OMB, in doing their job. And it’s
not fair that after helping them and putting our lives in danger,
they would put the blame on us,” a fuming Villar said.
Records showed that on June 11, a
motion to quash a search warrant filed by the legal counsel of
respondents Ramel Dacanay Ritua, Ana Marie Fernandez Manuel and Teo
Choon Siong, a Malaysian, was granted by Judge Baclig.
Ritua, Manuel and Siong were
charged by the Optical Media Board for violating Section 19(A) (2)
of Republic Act 9239, or the Optical Media Law.
The motion to quash was granted
on the ground that Police Officer 2 Gilbert Abarro of the
anti-smuggling group who applied for a search warrant, was not
authorized or deputized by the Optical Media Board.
Action justified
Villar, however, justified the
act of Abarro, saying that the replicating machines and blank DVDs
and CDs were imported and smuggled into the country in violation of
the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines and Republic Act
9239. This justification was even supported by OMB chief Edu Manzano
who certified that the board has not issued licenses for
importation, sale, distribution and manufacture of DVDs and CDs.
Villar said the raid on the
clandestine disc factory in Quezon City was legally and morally
right and better than launching a series of lightning raids on the
market flooded with pirated CDs and DVDs.
“Market and street vendors are
investing less and gaining little for daily survival. It’s
impossible to end piracy by confiscating products in the market, so,
PASG hit the very source,” he said.
Villar also disclosed that the
clandestine disc factory had been raided by the team of Sen. Ramon
Revilla Jr. when he was still Optical Media Board chairman, but for
unknown reasons, the factory continued its operation until the
anti-smuggling group and the Board raided it on April 2.
-With Anthony Bayarong
|
