LAW STUDENT ARRESTED FOR ILLEGAL OBTENTION

AND DISTRIBUTION OF JURISTS VIDEOS & BAR REVIEW MATERIALS

On the afternoon of 4 July 2018, a composite team of the DOJ Cybercrime Division, the NBI Special
Action Unit, and the NBI Laoag District Office arrested in Laoag City a third-year law student of
Northwestern University, Jake Bryson Dancel, after a successful entrapment operation. Dancel was
caught in flagrante selling to the poseur-buyer lecture videos and other review materials of Jurists Bar
Review Center, contained in a flash drive, which he had illegally obtained or downloaded without the
consent of Jurists.
Dancel will be charged with and prosecuted for the crimes of violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act,
Online Piracy under the E-Commerce Act, and Copyright Infringement under the Intellectual Property
Code, among others, which crimes carry hefty penalties of imprisonment and fines. In particular, Online
Piracy is punished with a mandatory and non-probationable penalty of imprisonment of six months to 3
years and an unlimited fine equivalent to the damage incurred.
Let the arrest of Dancel serve as a warning to those engaged in or who intend to engage in similar
nefarious activities. Jurists and the law enforcement authorities will prosecute these scoundrels to the
utmost and will not let up until they are held to account for their crimes. It is particularly appalling that
Dancel, who is yet a law student, has no compunction in committing criminal acts and trampling upon
the rights of others.
We strongly advise and warn the public not to buy or use illegally obtained or pirated videos and review
materials of Jurists as they themselves stand the risk of being arrested and prosecuted, aside from being
made the subject of administrative complaints before the Supreme Court and the Integrated Bar of the
Philippines. One who buys from or deal with these criminals is himself or herself abetting and aiding
their criminal and evil activities.
Jurists extends its sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the members of the composite DOJ-NBI team
for the successful entrapment and arrest of Dancel.