The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Broadcasting giant ABS-CBN said several online sites illegally providing ABS-CBN TV shows and movies have been barred after it received several preliminary injunctions in the US Federal District Court against 44 sites.
In its most recent lawsuit, ABS-CBN et al. v. Hapitvnow.info, et al., filed on August 10, the broadcast firm sought over $20 million in damages.
The new lawsuit follows the recent arrest of Nico Angelo Rempillo of Naga City, Jim Marcelino of Roxas City and Mark Marlon Millendez of Davao City, who allegedly operated sites that pirated ABS-CBN’s TV shows and movies.
Civil lawsuits have been filed for copyright and trademark infringement against the three defendants, for over $10 million in damages.
Millendez’s websites, pinoymovie2k.tv and movie128.com, have already been taken down and replaced with the pleadings for the lawsuit against him.
Rempillo’s website, ireplaymo.com, and Marcelino’s websites, pnoytv-online.com, pinoytvpost.com, teleseryepinoy.com and teleserye-pinoy.com, have been ordered disabled and are in the process of being transferred.
The sites, which were offering ABS-CBN TV shows and movies without permission, have been ordered by the court to be disabled and have either already been disabled or are in the process of being blocked immediately. These sites had a combined traffic of over 3.4 million views.
ABS-CBN Assistant Vice President for Global Anti-piracy and Content Security Elisha Lawrence warned that these sites pose a major risk to viewers, because by clicking on these sites, the malware can allow hackers to invade their phones, laptops and tablets, and steal private information, including their bank-account numbers and private e-mails, as well as to have access to other confidential information.
“Warn your friends and family to stay away from pirate sites. Don’t pay a high price for free! If you find any additional pirate sites, youtube or google blogspot links offering or distributing ABS-CBN TV shows and movies, please e-mail us the information at report@abs-cbn.com,” she said.