The National Bureau of Investigation on Monday announced the weekend arrest of two suspected "flicker" film pirates at a moviehouse in Quezon City.
Rolando Argabioso, chief of the NBI's Field Operations Divisions, named the suspects as Jerryden Buhisan and Ariel Dichoso. The suspects were caught secretly recording the movie "Wanted" through two digital video cameras at the SM City North EDSA cinema.
The official said NBI agents were able to seize the digital video cameras from the suspects.
Argabioso said flicker pirates usually record the film during the first and las showing.
Selina Gecolea, general manager of film distributor United International Pictures, meanwhile, said flickers usually sit directly under the projection so that they can catch the screen fully.
She added that flickers usually come in a group of three or five people. One of them records the film while the rest stand as guard to either side to prevent other moviegoers from discovering the illegal activity.
Gecolea also said that flickers are able to slip past theater inspectors by hiding their video cameras inside a jacket, bag or carton of potato chips.
The company official said that the days of flickers are already numbered since they have hired private detectives to weed out film pirates among with moviegoers. Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News