Anti-film piracy campaign chalks up new case

The Movie Industry Anti-Piracy Organization Inc. (MIAPOI) reported the filing of a case against a returning Hong Kong domestic helper who was caught illegally video-shooting a film in a Tarlac City moviehouse.

The MIAPOI considers this the first-ever achievement under a new anti-piracy campaign that aims to install a reward system that will benefit alert theater personnel.

It came barely three days after the anti-piracy organization and the national cinema association sealed a memorandum of agreement to intensify their clampdown on pirates plying their trade in Metro Manila and provincial theaters.

According to the MIAPOI, personnel of Metro Town Mall in Tarlac City caught a certain Imelda Manangan video-taping the local film Sukob during its 11 a.m. screening last Aug. 11.

Manny Nuqui, vice chairman of the anti-film piracy organization, said the Tarlac City police filed a case against Manangan last Aug. 22.

He added that Star Cinema, producer of Sukob, may also file a case against Manangan for violation of pertinent provisions of Republic Act 9239 (Optical Media Board Law) and the intellectual property rights law.

The incident happened at 11:45 a.m. on Aug. 11 when the projectionist of Cinema 3 of Metro Town Mall, Ariel Manalastas, noticed a viewer video-recording the movie as it began screening.

He reported this to Ofelia Santiago, ticket booth-in-charge, who, in turn, ordered porter Jenny Martinez to check.

Manangan’s husband reportedly voluntarily surrendered the camera for safekeeping. The couple was brought to the police station for further investigation.

Mrs. Manangan explained that she was only testing the camera inside the moviehouse. The couple claimed they were not aware that video-recording inside moviehouses is prohibited.

Mrs. Manangan said she had just returned from Hong Kong and was practicing the use of the video camera, which would be used for a wedding coverage.

On Aug. 22, lawyer Alfredo Ganggangan, representing the anti-piracy organization and ABS-CBN Star Cinema, reviewed the tape taken from the camera where the title credits of Sukob were recorded.

Ganggangan said that if the Manangans were not accosted by the theater personnel, they could have recorded the entire movie.