MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Saturday advised the public against impostor vendors peddling fake tickets to the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival.
MMDA Chairman Danny Lim said in a Facebook post that counterfeit ticket sellers were caught today in an entrapment operation.
“Nagbebenta sila ng fake na MMFF ticket online. Natuntun din natin ang lugar kung saan sila nanguha at nag-print ng supply,” Lim posted on social media.
(They were selling fake MMFF tickets online. We have also identified where they had the tickets printed)
The chairman warned the public against online traders and said that anyone caught with a fake MMFF ticket would immediately be apprehended.
“Ang original na tickets ay may security features at hindi tatanggapin sa mga sinehan ang ticket kapag hindi nakapasa sa authentication process. Ang sinumang mahuhuling may dalang fake na MMFF ticket ay agad na huhulihin at kakasuhan.”
(The original tickets have security features and counterfeits will not be accepted at any cinema due to the authentication process. Anyone caught with fake MMFF tickets will be arrested and charged.)
The official MMFF Facebook page also posted that aside from traders, “those who bought and will be caught using these fake passes may be held criminally liable too!”
The annual film festival held during the holidays bags hundreds of millions of pesos in box office revenues yearly and sees long lines in movie theaters nationwide.
The 2018 festival run is the highest-grossing MMFF so far with over P1 billion in box office earnings, surpassing the record it previously set in 2015.