NEWSFLASH

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ILOILO VIDEO SHOPS, CABLE STATION CLOSED FOR PIRACY

Manila, Oct. 8, 1997 - Thanks, or no thanks, to video pirates, Iloilo City residents watch Hollywood feature films on cable TV and in home VHS machines long before these movies are released in the Philippines.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Santiago Toledo confirmed the successful raids on one cable TV station and several video stores in Iloilo City. The raiders, belonging to the NBI's Anti-Film Piracy Division, were armed with warrants issued by Iloilo Regional Trial Court Judge David Alfeche.

The team found the local cable TV facility of Cable Star, Inc. in violation of the Intellectual Property Rights Law for showing films without the permission of its owners and distributors. Seized from the TV station were cable TV modulators, TV monitors, VHS recorders and pirated movie cassettes used by the station for airing pirated film features.

Also raided were three video sales and rental shops at the May Mart Mall in the heart of Iloilo City. Found with unauthorized and illegally-copied tapes were: video Tronics, Ibam Video Shop and Showtime Video Shop.

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