D E C I S I O N
(3rd Division)
GUTIERREZ, JR., J.:
I.
THE FACTS
Petitioner 20th Century Fox Film Corporation sought the assistance
of the NBI in conducting searches and seizures in connection with the NBI’s
anti-film piracy campaign. Petitioner alleged that certain videotape outlets
all over Metro Manila are engaged in the unauthorized sale and renting out of
copyrighted films in violation of PD No. 49 (the old Intellectual Property Law).
The NBI conducted surveillance and investigation of the
outlets pinpointed by the petitioner and subsequently filed three (3)
applications for search warrants against the video outlets owned by the private
respondents. The lower court issued the desired
search warrants. The NBI, accompanied by the petitioner's agents, raided the
video outlets and seized the items described in the three warrants.
