GEN. TINIO, Nueva Ecija – Elements of the National Bureau of Investigation swooped down a compound of a softdrinks retailer in Barangay Concepcion here over alleged hoarding of bottles belonging to a competing company Monday afternoon.
John Macabanti Jr., assistant sales manager Asiawide Refreshments Corporation (ARC) in Nueva Ecija, said they sought the help of the NBI upon learning of the hoarding. This violates the intellectual property rights, he said.
The law enforcers were armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Tomas Talavera of Nueva Ecija.
Recovered from the compound of Epitacio Pajarillaga were a total of 33,844 empty bottles of RC Cola, a brand name under ARC.
Besides property rights violation, the supposed hoarding of empty RC bottles in the compound of Pajarillaga, who it turned out is an exclusive dealer of another softdrinks manufacturer, constitute unfair trade practice, according to Macabanti.
He explained that under the bottled products business practice, deliveries would not be given to sellers who lost empty bottles. Thus, the number of bottles held by an individual who is not an authorized dealer is equivalent to the volume of supplies that cannot be delivered to sellers or distributors.
Pajarillaga said he was collecting the bottles because he intended to be the brand’s dealer soon. In fact, he said, he has a pending application for it.
His stores, he said, has been selling drinks of that brand. Later, he explained that most of the empty bottles in his compound belonged to a friend from Bulacan who was to pick them up a day before the raid.
