Philippine National Police officers arrested three more fake cigarette vendors in Barangay Sta. Barbara, Victoria, Tarlac as the government continues to tighten its belt against contraband products.
Loriza Guerrero, 29, of Matias District, Talavera, Nueva Ecija; Romart Bondoc, 16, of Barangay Pula, Talavera, Nueva Ecija and a 13-year-old minor were taken into police custody after they were caught in the act of selling fake Mighty Corp. and Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. products such as Mighty, Marvels, Marlboro and Fortune Cigarettes.
Police officers PO3 Homer Puzon and PO1 Ely Cinense acted immediately on the complaint of a concerned citizen about a suspicious unmarked Mitsubishi L300 FB vehicle with plate number RNF-913 in Victoria, which turned out to be loaded with fake cigarettes.
The policemen intercepted the suspects’ vehicle along Victoria-Licab road that yielded multiple boxes containing 600 reams of different Mighty and PMFTC brand cigarettes.
Authorities brought the suspects and the contraband to the Victoria Police Station and immediately contacted both cigarette companies. A Mighty representative later confirmed the products as fake.
The suspects were later charged with violating Section 155 (trademark infringement) with Case No. 5648-2016 and NPS Docket No. 111-18-INQ-16-3-0485 in relation to Section 170 of Republic Act 8293, also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.
However, the 13-year-old was subsequently released from the PNP-Victoria station pursuant to Republic Act 9344 (Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act) while the 16-year-old Bondoc was found to have acted with discernment of the crime charged against him.
Despite numerous warnings from authorities, unscrupulous traders continue to smuggle, distribute and sell counterfeit cigarettes.
NBI agents in August nabbed Fortunato Gatmaitan of Peryas, Barangay La Torre, Talavera after he was caught in possession of 692 reams of fake Mighty and Marvels cigarettes.