Report: 'Counterfeit' medicines seized in Bacolod drugstores

Government agents on Thursday seized several boxes of alleged counterfeit medicines from at least six branches of a drug store chain in Bacolod City. Based on a report of the news site Visayan Daily Star on Friday, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) teams raided the supplier's storage area in the city. NBI Bacolod head Jose Ermie Monsanto said the raid conducted by the NBI Manila's Intellectual Property Rights Division stemmed from a complaint filed by the pharmaceutical firm United Laboratories, Inc. (Unilab). He said a representative of Unilab verified that the medicines seized were counterfeit. Monsanto said the supplier of the counterfeit drugs could face charges for violation of the Intellectual Property Rights Code of the Philippines. Monsanto reminded the public to be cautious and make sure that the medicines they purchase are not counterfeit. - VVP, GMA News