IPOPHL eyes to expand enforcement of intellectual property rights

The IPOPHL on Monday said it seeks to craft a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NALECC-SCOS members to extend IPR enforcement and complement the efforts of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR). (Photo by http://www.ipophil.gov.ph/)

MANILA — The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) aims to further expand intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement through cooperating with members of the Sub-Committee on Organized Crime of the National Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (NALECC-SCOS).

The IPOPHL on Monday said it seeks to craft a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NALECC-SCOS members to extend IPR enforcement and complement the efforts of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR).
“We want to have a holistic approach to IPR enforcement in the country, going beyond the jurisdictions of the enforcement agencies that are members of the NCIPR,” IPOPHL Director General Josephine Santiago said.

NALECC is the coordinating platform for law enforcement activities of different government agencies, with SCOC as one of its sub-committees.

NALECC-SCOC members include IPOPHL, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Finance (DOF), among others.

“In particular, the DOF’s Revenue Integrity Protection Service is keen on supporting the measure to be able to zero in on the tax liabilities of IPR violators with regard to their counterfeit goods,” the IPOPHL noted.

Aside from complementing the efforts of NCIPR, the MOU aims to expedite the case building of IPR violations through the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group – Anti Fraud and Commercial Crime Unit.

Currently, IPOPHL pursues IPR violations and cases through the Executive Order 736, which establishes the NCIPR.

Chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry with IPOPHL as its vice chair, NCIPR is also composed of Department of Justice, Bureau of Customs, Food and Drug Authority, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, Optical Media Board, National Book Development Board, Office of the Special Envoy on Transnational Crime, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and National Telecommunications Commission.

Moreover, the IPOPHL aims to strengthen its partnership with border control agencies like the Philippine Ports Authority and the Manila International Airport Authority, as well as judiciary offices and regulatory agencies. (PNA)