20th Century Fox Film Corporation v Court of Appeals

GR. Nos.76649-51 August 1988

Facts:

The National Bureau of Investigation conducted a surveillance and investigation of video outlets
complained by petitioner to be violating Presidential Decree No. 49 – Protection of Intellectual Property.
Subsequently, three search warrants were issued and executed against the video outlets owned by
private respondents. However, the lower court issued an order lifting the said search warrant.

Issue:

Whether or not the search warrants were valid.

Ruling:

No. The search warrants were invalid due to absence of probable cause that the private respondents
violated P.D. 49.The NBI agents who acted as witnesses did not have personal knowledge of the subject
matter of their testimony which alleged the commission of the offence by the private respondents. The
petitioner did not also present to the court the master tapes of copyrighted films to compare them with
the purchased evidence of the video tapes allegedly pirated to determine whether there was piracy of
the film of the complainant.

Petition is DISMISSED. The questioned decision and resolution of the Court of Appeals are AFFIRMED.