Philippines TV Channel Being Sued After 'Broadcasting Pirated Copy Of Avengers: Endgame'

A TV channel in the Philippines is being sued after allegedly broadcasting a (really shoddy) pirated version of Avengers: Endgame.

According to Philippine News Agency, the pirated version was shown on Orient Cable and Telecommunications Inc. - prompting pissed-off Marvel fans, who had spent the previous 24-hours avoiding spoilers, to take to social media to slate the channel.

If the photos on social media are anything to go by, the copy they aired was just about the worst pirated film I've ever seen... not that I've seen any, of course. Ahem - moving on.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

The wrath of the viewers at home was nothing compared to that of Teatro de Dapitan, a cinema which was authorised to show Avengers: Endgame, which went on to complain to the police.

Representing Teatro de Dapitan, Lawyer Chembeelyn Alpeche-Balucan told the news outlet: "We are filing a case against Orient Cable, definitely."

After the angry lawyers got on their case, Orient Cable Telecommunications Inc. pulled the movie, but - and this is probably my favourite part of the whole fiasco - the company is then reported to have replaced it with an old, pirated version of Captain Barbell. Outstanding.

Sharing their impotent range online, film fans slammed the network for choosing to illegally air the movie, with one person asking: "Spoiler alert: Orient Cable, where the fuck did you get the link?"

Another, who claimed to be a student of multimedia studies at University of the Philippines Open University, added: "This act is a huge violation of the law and a huge disrespect of the film industry."

They went on to add the specific laws the network could be in breach of citing - Republic Act 8293 (RA) or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, RA 10088 or the Anti-Camcording Act of 2010, and RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Teatro de Dapitan

The student continued: "Orient Cable, hunnie, you are part of the TV and Film industry. Clearly, you know how that business works. This stunt you're pulling off supports piracy. Do you need an education about that? If you're earning from your watch time, you're stealing other people's years of work and selling it for clout in such a bad light."

When approached by Philippine News Agency, Orient Cable Telecommunications Inc. 'remained silent on the issue and declined to issue a statement'.

Topics: World News, TV and Film, Marvel

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19