Court decision vs Chinese firm ‘provides model for copyright infringement’

St. Mary’s Publishing Corp. (SMPC) Lawyer Oscar Manahan stressed that the decision of Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) in granting their complaint over a Chinese firm and its local partners provided a model for copyright infringement. 

 “This decision recognizes the Philippine government’s commitment to the Berne Convention to fully recognize, protect and enforce IPRs (intellectual property rights) in the country. The Berne Convention on Copyrights where Philippines and China are signatories have committed to fully recognize and to enforce the Philippine decision under the reciprocity provisions in the treaty,” Manahan emphasized in a statement on Sunday.

 READ: Chinese printing firm ordered to pay P24.7-M for copyright infringement

 Manahan, who was an intellectual property rights expert, said that the act of Fujian New Technology Color Making and Printing Company, LTD (Fujian), a firm based in China, constitutes Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works on August 1, 1951.

 China became part of the convention in 1992.

 Fujian and its three local partners were found guilty of copyright infringement by Manila RTC Branch 24 on Sunday. The court ordered them to pay SMPC a total amount of 24.7million for the damages they have caused. /je