Quezon City Court Convicts Seller of Counterfeit Cigarettes
A Quezon City court has convicted a man for unfair competition after he pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit cigarettes valued at over a million pesos. The conviction stems from violations of Section 168.2 in connection with Section 170 of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.
Angelo Velasquez Alba, 29, was sentenced on July 14, 2025, by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 90 to three years imprisonment. Additionally, the court imposed a fine of ₱50,000. This ruling marks another victory in the fight against counterfeit tobacco products in the country.
Entrapment Operation Leads to Arrest
The case began after authorities received a formal complaint about the illegal sale of fake cigarettes. On July 1, law enforcement officers conducted an entrapment operation at Alba’s residence in Sangandaan, Quezon City. During the operation, Alba was caught accepting payment from an undercover buyer in exchange for counterfeit tobacco products.
The operation was spearheaded by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group – Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Unit (CIDG-AFCCU) in close coordination with the Quezon City Police District. Authorities confirmed that Alba was informed of his constitutional rights immediately after his arrest and during his detention.
Seizure and Destruction of Counterfeit Products
Officials confiscated a large volume of counterfeit cigarettes estimated to have a market value of approximately ₱1.36 million. Barangay officials witnessed the inventory process, which was also recorded using an alternative recording device to ensure transparency.
The court ordered the destruction of all seized counterfeit products, which are presently held by the CIDG-AFCCU at Camp Crame. The unit’s custodian will carry out this order following proper legal procedures.
Ongoing Crackdown on Counterfeit Tobacco
Alba’s conviction adds to a series of successful prosecutions targeting counterfeit cigarette sellers nationwide. In 2024, a businessman named Adam Mangoda was sentenced by the Bacolod Regional Trial Court to up to 16 years in prison and fined ₱200,000 for similar offenses.
That same year, a Chinese national, Sunxu Zhou, received a four-year prison sentence and a ₱400,000 fine in Cebu for counterfeit cigarette sales. Earlier, in 2023, two young sellers in Las Piñas were also convicted and sentenced to two to three years in jail for unfair competition involving fake tobacco products.
Recent cases also include ongoing charges in Iloilo City following the seizure of illicit cigarettes and the 2021 arrest of two individuals in Zambales caught with hundreds of reams of counterfeit goods, showing the government’s continued resolve against this illegal trade.
For more news and updates on counterfeit cigarette sellers, visit Filipinokami.com.
