32 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY February 16 - 28 , 2017
ABS-CBN Corp . Files Lawsuit for over $ 8M in Damages Against Kissasian . com
Largest Filipino media and entertainment company also awarded amended judgment for over $ 11M from pirate streaming websites
DALY CITY , CA . - The largest media and entertainment company in the Philippines has filed suit today in US Federal District Court against kissasian . com for damages of over $ 8M pertaining to Kissasian ’ s infringement of trademarks and registered copyrights of 27 of ABS- CBN ’ s television shows and movies including “ Be My Lady ”, “ Born for You ”, “ Dolce Amore ”, “ You ’ re Still the One ”, “ Etiquette for Mistresses ”, “ Ex With Benefits ”, and many more .
In addition , ABS-CBN Corporation was awarded this week an amended default judgment of nearly $ 11 million against 11 online streaming websites that the company says regularly showcase pirated versions of its programming .
According to ABS-
CBN ’ s Assistant Vice President of Global Anti- Piracy Elisha Lawrence , “ We are stepping up our anti-piracy enforcement in 2017 . These pirate sites often victimize our fans when they access these sites and are later attacked by malware which steals their financial and personal data . We are going after every pirate wherever they live and operate . We arrested and sued numerous pirates last year and we plan to quadruple that effort this year .”
U . S . District Judge William P . Dimitrouleas , in his amended default judgment , ordered the defendants to pay at least $ 1 million each in statutory damages . The judge also ordered the defendants to stop advertising , promoting , performing , copying , broadcasting or distributing ABS-CBN ’ s copyrighted work , which includes a variety of television programming .
Among the pirate websites , Freepinoychannel . com and Pnoytambayantv . com were each ordered to pay $ 1.18 million in statutory damages , while Lambingan . to , Pinoynetwork . to and Tambaytayo . com are on the hook for $ 1.09 million each . Pinoymovie . to was ordered to pay $ 1.24 million in statutory damages .
The sites provide on-demand streaming performances of full-length versions of television shows and movies through their
sites , according to the suit .
“ Defendants ’ websites are classic examples of pirate operations , often with poor quality . We invest a great deal in our television shows and movies so the customers have a superior viewing experience . These pirates are willfully infringing ABS- CBN ’ s copyrighted works and damaging the ABS- CBN brand ,” according to Lawrence .
The company had requested at least $ 2 million in statutory damages per counterfeit trademark used , as well as triple the defendants ’ profits from the alleged infringement .
ABS-CBN is represented by Stephen M . Gaffigan . The cases are ABS-CBN Corp . et al . v . Kissasian . com ., Case No . 0:17-cv-60352 and Case ABS-CBN Corp , et al . v . FreePinoyChannel . com et al ., case number 0:15-cv- 61002 , in the U . S . District Court for the Southern District of Florida .
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