Bernie Anabo Jr.
The message from the National Bureau of Investigation–National Capital Region is LOUD and unmistakable:
FAKE IS FAKE—and the NBI is coming after those who profit from it.
In a major crackdown that should send counterfeit traders scrambling, NBI-NCR operatives seized an estimated P63 million worth of counterfeit luxury clothing from six mall stalls in Baclaran, Pasay City, and a warehouse in Valenzuela City.
More than 30,000 pieces of clothing imitating two popular sports brands were reportedly hauled out during the operation.
And at the center of the operation is a name that deserves the spotlight:
NBI-NCR REGIONAL DIRECTOR ATTY. EMETERIO DONGALLO JR.
Dongallo did not wait for the counterfeit racket to grow bigger.
He moved.
He ordered surveillance.
He sent his operatives into the field.
The evidence was gathered.
Test buys were conducted.
Brand owners were consulted.
Certifications were secured.
Search warrants were obtained from the courts.
And then—
BANG!
The NBI-NCR came knocking.
This is what serious enforcement looks like.
According to Dongallo, the operation started after a law office sought the NBI’s assistance regarding the alleged sale of counterfeit clothing.
Instead of relying on reports alone, NBI-NCR operatives conducted surveillance in several malls in Pasay and at a warehouse in Valenzuela.
The result?
The allegations were substantiated.
The clothing looked convincing enough to fool unsuspecting buyers—but closer inspection revealed the merchandise was counterfeit.
And here’s the kicker:
Some of the fake clothing was reportedly being sold for only around P250 per piece.
Cheap?
Yes.
But cheap enough to raise a giant red flag.
As Dongallo warned, when something bearing a supposedly expensive brand is being sold at a suspiciously low price, consumers should start asking questions.
IF IT’S TOO CHEAP, DON’T BE TOO SURE IT’S REAL!
Counterfeiting isn’t merely about fake labels stitched onto cheap fabric.
It attacks legitimate businesses.
It damages intellectual property.
It deceives consumers.
It undermines legitimate retailers.
And, most importantly, it creates an underground economy where profits are made by exploiting brands and consumers alike.
That is why the P63-million seizure should not be treated as just another police operation.
It is a warning shot.
THE NBI-NCR IS DRAWING THE LINE.
Dongallo said the confiscated items are undergoing examination, with test results expected to support the filing of charges against manufacturers, store owners and other individuals who may be involved.
That means the operation doesn’t end with the seizure.
The real battle begins with the investigation.
Who manufactured them?
Who financed the operation?
Who supplied the merchandise?
Who stored the thousands of pieces?
Who distributed them?
Who sold them?
And perhaps most importantly—
WHO IS AT THE TOP OF THE COUNTERFEIT SUPPLY CHAIN?
Those are the questions investigators now need to answer.
Because confiscating 30,000 pieces is one thing.
Dismantling the network behind them is another.
And this is where Dongallo’s leadership will be tested—and, hopefully, strengthened.
The NBI-NCR has already demonstrated that it can go from intelligence gathering to surveillance, from test buys to court-authorized searches, and from evidence collection to potential prosecution.
That is precisely the kind of enforcement chain that counterfeit operators fear.
NO MORE FREE PASSES FOR FAKE MERCHANDISE.
The Christmas shopping season is approaching, and counterfeit traders know exactly what that means:
MORE BUYERS. MORE DEMAND. MORE MONEY.
But this latest NBI-NCR operation sends a very different message:
MORE ENFORCEMENT. MORE SURVEILLANCE. MORE RAIDS.
Under Atty. Emeterio Dongallo Jr., the NBI-NCR is showing that counterfeit operations can be tracked, exposed and dismantled.
The P63-million seizure is impressive.
The 30,000-plus pieces are staggering.
But the bigger prize should be the network behind the merchandise.
Because every fake shirt has a supplier.
Every supplier has a distributor.
Every distributor has a market.
And every organized counterfeit operation leaves a trail.
FOLLOW THE TRAIL.
Follow the money.
Follow the warehouse.
Follow the suppliers.
Follow the distribution chain.
And follow it all the way to whoever is calling the shots.
That is where the real counterfeit kingpins are.
For now, one thing is clear:
Atty. Emeterio Dongallo Jr. and the NBI-NCR have fired a powerful warning across Metro Manila’s counterfeit trade.
The message is brutally simple:
DON’T HIDE BEHIND A MALL STALL.
DON’T HIDE BEHIND A WAREHOUSE.
DON’T HIDE BEHIND A FAKE LABEL.
