BOC starts destroying P9.3B worth of counterfeit goods

CABUYAO CITY, Laguna — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has started the destruction of P9.3 billion worth of counterfeit and substandard goods that it seized in several operations since 2014.

On Wednesday afternoon, some P300,000 worth of rubber slippers were shredded at the facility of the JPT Pro-earth Services Inc. here. This was the first batch of products that were destroyed in the BoC’s operation that will continue in the next 75 days.

The slippers bore popular footwear brands like Havaianas, Ipanema, Abercombie, Crocs and Hollister.

Other items destroyed here included fake designer bags, clothes, beauty products, and electronic gadgets, toys, and food seasoning.

Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina said most of the seized items came from China. They were seized by government agencies from various ports and warehouses in the country from 2014 to 2015.

“We cannot sell or auction them off because there was a violation [of the Intellectual Property Rights],” he said.

Josephine Santiago, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines director general, said the stockpile was stored in a 1,200-square meter government-leased warehouse in the City of Malabon in Metro Manila.

She said it took a while before they could start destroying the counterfeit goods due to legal proceedings with the BOC.

Santiago said the entry of counterfeit goods into the country has negatively impacted on the economy because importers paid “less taxes or no tax at all.”

She said the decision on whether to donate the seized goods rested with owners of the brand.

“Consumers have the right to quality [products]. Some of these goods are being passed off as original [items] so there is deception somewhere,” Santiago said.   SFM