| Wednesday, 24 April 2013 05:27 | 
| President Benigno S. Aquino III signed into law Republic Act No. 10515 otherwise known as the "Anti-Cable Television and Cable Internet Tapping
 Act of 2013" that is aimed at protecting the cable television and cable
 internet industries from cable pilferage.
 
 Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte announced during the regular
 press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday that the Chief Executive signed the
 law last April 17, 2013.
 
 The law prohibits cable television and internet tapping and penalizes
 offenders with imprisonment of two to five years or a fine of P50,000 to
 P100,000 or both, at the discretion of the court.
 
 If the offender is a corporation or association, the president, manager,
 managing partner or any officer of the corporation or partnership who
 directly participated in the violation of the Act shall be held liable.
 
 With the President’s signing of the law, illegal tapping of any signal
 offered over cable television (CATV) or cable internet system and the
 malicious destruction or removal of existing CATV or cable internet
 facilities will be prohibited.
 
 The law also prohibits recording, reproducing, distributing, importing or
 selling of any intercepted or received CATV system/network signals for
 commercial purposes without the authority of the concerned CATV or cable
 internet service provider.
 
 "The State recognizes the indispensable role of the private sector,
 encourages private enterprise, and provides incentives to needed
 investments. Pursuant thereto, this Act aims to protect the Cable
 Television and Cable Internet Industries from cable pilferage," the
 President said.
 
 Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, the National
 Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shall undertake an information
 dissemination campaign to inform the public of the existence of this Act.
 
 "The NTC, in consultation with CATV and Cable Internet Service Providers
 and other affected parties, shall, within sixty (60) days after the conduct
 of public hearings which must commence within thirty (30) working days upon
 the effectivity of this Act, issue the implementing rules and regulations
 to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the provisions of
 the Act," the Chief Executives said.
 
 "If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Act is held invalid
 or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provisions not
 otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting," he said.
 
 "All laws, presidential decrees or issuances, executive orders, letters of
 instruction, administrative orders, rules or regulations contrary to, or
 inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified
 or amended accordingly," he said.
 
 This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication
 in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
 
 
 |