A joint complaint for violation of Sections 155 and 170 of the Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual property Code of the Philippines was filed by the National Bureau of Investigation and the United Laboratories Inc. against the management of Sincere Drug Store before the Department of Justice, Unilab External Affairs Officer Claire Papa told the DAILY STAR yesterday.

The charges were in connection with the raids conducted by NBI and Unilab on the branches of Sincere Drug Store at Burgos, Libertad, Dela Rama Center, Gatuslao, Centroplex and Gonzaga branches and at the warehouse in Purok Dawis in Brgy. 14 on June 16, for alleged sale of counterfeit medicines.

Ricky Enriquez, general manager of the Sincere chain of drug stores, said they are yet to comment on the charges filed against them by NBI and the Unilab group as they have not received subpoenas yet.

Special Investigator Rafael Gonzaga of the NBI Intellectual Property rights Division led the filing of the case on July 15.

In a press statement sent by Papa to the DAILY STAR yesterday, she said Unilab stressed that their utmost concern has always been the safety of the patients and is supportive of the drive of NBI against fake medicines in the market.

She added that the raid conducted by the Intellectual property rights division of NBI against Sincere drug stores is evidence of its commitment, adding that, contrary to the claim of the drug store’s management, the raid was based on a thorough investigation and on the finding of probable cause by the Regional Trial Court in Manila.

The United Laboratories Incorporated emphasized that the drugs seized during the raid are indeed fake as they were not manufactured and distributed by their company.

They also urged the public to be vigilant against the proliferation of counterfeit medicines and report if they know of anyone or any establishment circulating them.

Enriquez reiterated that if the medicines seized from their pharmacies were indeed fake, the Bureau of Food and Drugs Administration could have shut down their stores.

He said they are willing to answer the charges in the proper time and forum but added that they would file motion to quash information in court on the case filed against their drug stores.

Enriquez also said that they are now studying the possibility of including the Negros Grand Ventures Industries Incorporated in their filing of multi-million damage suits as they failed to answer the letter they sent to the company seeking explanation why the NBI seized the medicines they purchased from them.

The management of Sincere Drug Stores had earlier said that the medicines they are selling are not fake and that they are filing damage suits against the NBI-Manila agents, Unilab and against TV 5 Manila, for what Enriquez said was biased reporting when the raid was conducted.*APN

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