The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is eyeing the possibility of imposing sanctions against the Takoyaki store owner who made an April Fool’s Day prank urging its followers to tattoo their logo to their foreheads.
One netizen supposedly went ahead and did it anyway, thinking it was for real in exchange for P100,000.
DTI Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles said that the campaign may be foreign to ordinary Filipinos.
“Pwede nating i-suspend, i-revoke, i-cancel yung registration nila sa DTI, yung business name nila. Tapos pwede din i-refer ito sa mayor’s office or sa LGU (local government unit) dahil sila naman talaga ang pwedeng magrevoke ng business permit,” the DTI official said.
Nograles said a business owner cannot use official accounts to promote pranks.
“Hindi mo pwedeng gamitin yung official, legitimate name mo para gumawa ng isang unlawful act or something na makakasira or makakasakit sa iyong kababayan,” added Nograles.
The DTI official added that the post can be penalized as a crime.
“Sa ibang bansa, yung inducing self-harm is actually penalized as a crime. Dito sa Pilipinas, we have to review. Ang ating prosecutors will check anong maaaring kaso ang mafa-file dyan. Pero sigurado either danyos or managot sila bilang krimen,” she added.
