Re: Unauthorized Online Selling of Merchandise Bearing Supreme Court Seal and/or Insignia

June 15, 2021

EN BANC

A.M. No. 21-06-07-SC

RE: UNAUTHORIZED ONLINE SELLING OF MERCHANDISE BEARING SUPREME COURT SEAL AND/OR INSIGNIA

NOTICE

Sirs/Mesdames :

Please take notice that the Court en banc issued a Resolution datedJUNE 15, 2021, which reads as follows:

"A.M. No. 21-06-07-SC

RE: UNAUTHORIZED ONLINE SELLING OF MERCHANDISE BEARING SUPREME COURT SEAL AND/OR INSIGNIA

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court Seal is the official insignia of the Court, and the badge of authority of the Court in its exercise of judicial power;

WHEREAS, even in the absence of a constitutional or statutory provision on the matter, the Court has inherent and inalienable right to regulate, prohibit, or restrict its use only to specific individuals or entities it authorizes, as well as to dictate and enforce conditions of such use;

WHEREAS, in a Memorandum dated May 31, 2021, the Office of Administrative Services (OAS), through Atty. Maria Carina M. Cunanan, Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Administrative Officer, brought to the Court's attention that various vendors have been selling merchandise bearing the official Supreme Court seal, such as I.D. lace lanyards, car stickers, emblems, and license plates, in online platforms without authorization from the Court;

WHEREAS, there is a probability that these merchandises bearing the Court's seal or insignia be wrongly used by individuals or entities who can easily access and buy it from online selling platforms and use such merchandise with the Court's insignia for their own unscrupulous purposes;

THEREFORE, the Court, in order to protect its rights, interest and profile, resolves to:

1) PROHIBIT the production, sale or distribution of any items or merchandise bearing the Supreme Court Seal, or similar items or merchandise indicating any connections with the Judicial branch of the government without permission from the Court;

2) WARN that all persons or entities who shall produce, sell or distribute any items or merchandise bearing the Supreme Court Seal, or similar items or merchandise indicating any connections with the Judicial branch of the government without permission from the Court shall be criminally prosecuted under Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code;

3) DIRECT all individuals or entities currently engaged in the production, sale, or distribution of the above-stated items to immediately CEASE and DESIST from producing, selling, or distributing the above-stated items, or be held accountable for indirect contempt of court; and

4) DIRECT the Office of Administrative Services to strictly monitor and regulate the unauthorized selling inside and outside the Court premises of the above-stated items especially during Court anniversary and Christmas fairs.

Let a copy of this Resolution be FURNISHED the Philippine head offices of online shopping platforms such as Shopee Philippines, Inc. (Shopee.com.ph) and Lazada Group Philippines (Lazada.com.ph).

This Administrative Matter shall take effect immediately following its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation."

By Authority of the Court:

(SGD.) MARIFE M. LOMIBAO-CUEVASClerk of Court

Published in the Manila Bulletin on July 11, 2021.