Gov't takes down 'torrent' website for illegal downloads of OPM

InterAksyon.com means BUSINESS

MANILA - (UPDATED 10:31 p.m.) A "torrent" website for TV shows, movies and music has been taken down by its domain registrar after the government ordered its closure.

In an interview on Friday, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) director general Ricardo R. Blancaflor said kat.ph has been blocked by dotPH Domains Inc, which had registered the website that is "notorious" for allowing downloads of pirated media.

DotPH Domains took down kat.ph after IPOPHL's Bureau of Legal Affairs last Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order (TRO). The TRO stemmed from a copyright infringement complaint filed by the Philippine Association of Recording Industry Inc (PARI), which groups music recording companies. PARI complained about kat.ph's unauthorized use of original Pilipino music (OPM), citing "irreparable damages."

The IPOPHL's 72-hour TRO may be extended to 20 days. If a counter-affidavit is filed by the domain registrar, the agency will issue a corresponding preliminary injunction to continuously block the website until the termination of the case.

The government made dotPH Domains a respondent to the case as the owner or operator of kat.ph has yet to be determined. Blancaflor said copyright holders are being enjoined to file complaints against infringers online.

The Philippines has been retained in the watch list of the 2013 Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) released by the Office of US Trade Representative (USTR) last May, as the US agency cited "significant concern" on rising piracy over the Internet.

Blancaflor told InterAksyon.com that IPOPHL has already secured the commitment of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as well as of Internet service providers (ISPs) in going after online copyright infringers.

"They will revoke licenses of IPR infringers," he said.