OPERATIVES of the National Bureau of Investigation seized replica engine oil additives worth hundreds of thousands of pesos during a raid of a factory in Nueva Ecija over the weekend.
The raid stemmed from the complaint filed by the manufacturer of Wonderlube Maximum Performance against EZSMART.
Wonderlube’s product was developed by RGBA and A Technolube Industrial Trading owned by couple Ricardo and Angelita Punzalan. It is a Filipino invention and a breakthrough in vehicle lubrication technology used in gas and diesel engines, the owners said.
In their complaint to the NBI- Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division, the owners said the replica did not only harm the reputation of the quality of their product, but also contributed to the smear campaign against their product online.
They sought the NBI’s help to stop the proliferation of the counterfeit products being sold in stores and online.
“Our product is being distributed nationwide and we have responsibility to our customers of quality product and ensure they get their money’s worth,” the complaint said.
Armed with a search warrant issued by a Manila Regional Trial Court, the NBI operatives swooped down on the EZMART portable factory and offices in Barangay San Roque, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija and confiscated imitation products of “Wonderlube Maximum Performance bearing the EZSMART trademark.”
The operatives found boxes of the engine additives that served as evidence against EZSMART.
EZSMART is owned by Franklin Luna, who was present during the raid, but was brought to the hospital for elevated blood pressure during the inventory of the seized products, the NBI report said.
The NBI said EZSMART and Franklin Luna would face complaints of violation of the Intellectual Property Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act, Trade Infringement and Unfair Competition.
