“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality…I believed that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word”.- Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Disgusted, disappointed and dismayed were how police operatives felt towards Bureau of Foods and Drugs Regional Office 3 of the cold shoulder accorded to them by personnel and staff of said government agency tasked to go after counterfeit drugs [over the counter medicines].
As a backgrounder, a team from the Special Concern Unit of the Intelligence Division of Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) went to BFAD 3 office in Barangay Maimpis City of San Fernando to seek for technical assistance on medicines which were bought by a poseur buyer from a suspected supplier of counterfeit medicines.
It was a successful covert operation, considering the difficulties the operatives encountered in identifying the personalities involved in this multi-million prohibited trade.
“Our main concern is to protect the consumers from ingesting fake medicines once sold in the market and even in prominent drug stores.”
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SCU now plays the role of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) main mandate of which is not only on business registration and running after unscrupulous traders but also to protect the consumers’ rights.
Lately, Bureau of Customs operatives raided a warehouse in San Simon, Pampanga after receiving reports of alleged counterfeit aerosol products ready for distribution to selected markets and groceries in the province.
In previous years, the same unit launched similar assaults in warehouses also in San Simon for unpopular cigarettes with fake stamps from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). The cigarettes were intended for distribution in Bicol and Visayas markets. Mabuti na lamang at kaagad natunugan ng BoC bago pa madala sa iba’t ibang tindahan.
It seems Pampanga is fast becoming a center of fake products? Try to visit different stores at Nepo Mart in Angeles City. There, you can find class A or replica of different products – from shoes to apparel – name it, they have it. Kasalanan din ng mga consumers because they keep on patronizing counterfeit products.
Kung sabagay, inaamin naman ng mga nagtitinda sa mga buyers na replica lamang o kaya ay class A ang kanilang ibinibenta kaya hindi mo rin sila masisisi. Pero binibili pa din ng mga consumers dahil mas mura ang pekeng produkto kumpara sa genuine.
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Pero iba na ang usapan kapag gamot o kaya ay pagkain ang ibinibenta. This is the time when DTI, BFAD and law enforcers come in.
Going back to BFAD 3, when SCU operatives submitted the specimen, alam nyo kung ano ang sagot? Hold your horses…”Results of the examination to determine if the medicines are genuine or fake will be determined after a week or so.” What a reply!
Mukhang mauuwi sa wala ang efforts ng SCU? Walang gamit o technical know how ang BFAD 3 in terms of determining genuine from counterfeit? Bakit pa kayo inilagay dito sa Pampanga? Anong silbi nyo!?
Retired Chief Supt Allen Bantolo, the head of BFAD, should look into this problem and arm BFAD personnel in the provinces or regional offices of knowledge on how to spot a fake product, specifically medicines.
Kung ganyan din lamang na sa BFAD head office umaasa ang mga provincial at regional office para lamang masuri at madetermine ang peke at genuine, eh di mas maigi kung ipadlock na lamang ang inyung tanggapan dahil sayang lamang ang ipinasasahod ng taong-bayan sa mga kawani ng BFAD3. Ano sa palagay nyo mga bossing?
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