LAW STUDENT ARRESTED FOR ILLEGAL OBTENTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF JURISTS VIDEOS & BAR REVIEW MATERIALS

On  the afternoon of 4 July 2018, a composite team of the DOJ Cybercrime Division, the NBI Special Action Unit, and the NBI Laoag District Office arrested in Laoag City a third-year law student of Northwestern University, Jake Bryson Dancel, after a successful entrapment operation. Dancel was caught in flagrante selling to the poseur-buyer lecture videos and other review materials of Jurists Bar Review Center, contained in a flash drive, which he had illegally obtained or downloaded without the consent of Jurists.

Dancel will be charged with and prosecuted for the crimes of violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, Online Piracy under the E-Commerce Act, and Copyright Infringement under the Intellectual Property Code, among others, which crimes carry hefty penalties of imprisonment and fines. In particular, Online Piracy is punished with a mandatory and non-probationable penalty of imprisonment of six months to 3 years and an unlimited fine equivalent to the damage incurred.

Let the arrest of Dancel serve as a warning to those engaged in or who intend to engage in similar nefarious activities. Jurists and the law enforcement authorities will prosecute these scoundrels to the utmost and will not let up until they are held to account for their crimes. It is particularly regrettable that Dancel, who is yet a law student, has no compunction in violating our criminal laws and stepping upon the rights of others.

We strongly advise and warn the public not to buy or use illegally obtained videos and review materials of Jurists as they themselves stand the risk of being arrested and prosecuted, aside from being made the subject of administrative complaints before the Supreme Court and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. One who buys from or deal with these criminals is himself or herself abetting and aiding their criminal and evil activities.

Jurists extends its sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the members of the composite DOJ-NBI team for the successful entrapment and arrest of Dancel.

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