DIPOLOG CITY, Zamboanga del Norte – The Optical Media Board (OMB) Monday served a “show-cause order” to Orient Cable and Telecommunications Company, Inc. here following the firm's airing of the Avengers: Endgame movie on April 25.
This came as OMB Chairman Ansel Adriano warned establishments and individuals to respect the intellectual rights of the film industry, especially local productions.
Lawyer Hywel Vergara, of OMB’s Legal Division, was assisted by the local police officers in serving the order against Orient Cable, whose officials were reportedly reluctant at first to receive the directive to answer why the firm should not be charged with piracy.
“With it is an order for the owners (of Orient Cable) to attend hearings at OMB in Manila on May 7 and 14,” said Vergara, referring to the show-cause directive.
The Securities and Exchange Commission earlier released the Articles of Incorporation of Orient Cable, which identified its incorporators as Henry Y. Uy, president; (Governor) Roberto Y. Uy, vice president; Godofredo Y. Uy, corporate secretary; William Y. Uy, treasurer; Albina Uy-Ong, auditor; Shirley Uy-Gusayko, and Arsenia I. Uy.
Orient Cable stopped airing Avengers when lawyers of Teatro de Dapitan complained at the Dipolog City Police Office on the same day it was aired.
In a telephone interview, Adriano said establishments and individuals should respect the law because the anti-piracy law "carries heavy penalty, which is imprisonment of up to six years and penalty of PHP1.5 million per violation".
“We are again under bad light before the international community, and it is sad it has to come from Dipolog City. I hope this will serve as a lesson to all of us, that piracy is bad and much more against the law,” Adriano said.
The management of the cable firm has remained silent over the issue. (PNA)
