FilipinoMetal.com, the Philippines' most prominent metal web site has been taken down by the local police and the National Bureau of Investigation (N.B.I.). Four counts of libel and defamation were filed against the web site's owner and his affiliates on March 26, 2009 in relation to the FilipinoMetal.com efforts to root out pay-to-play gigs in the country. N.B.I.'s Computer Crimes Division confiscated all server files for investigation and closed down the web site, including its forums, the following day.

FilipinoMetal.com spearheaded a movement against pay-to-play gigs last year. They released a "scumlist" — a blacklist of all "known pay-to-play organizations" in and out of the nation's capital. The infamous list and all materials related to it are allegedly the source of the legal action. Jet Asinas, proprietor of FilipinoMetal.com, commented, "Yes, we are having problems with the local police, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. We would like to thank everyone who has supported our efforts in curbing out the shameful practices of pay-to-play organizations in our scene. For sure, this is not yet over. These people are just wasting their time and money. They have no case."

The web site is home to 9,000 users and the page enjoys 14,000 unique hits every day. It is the Philippines' definitive resource of local metal news, gigs and more. In the meantime, an offshoot anti-pay-to-play web site was made by non-metal supporters of the movement recently to continue the efforts of FilipinoMetal.com.


I praise this guy for his action against "Pay to Play" gigs!

Sounds like some good old fashioned bribery of government officials by local businessmen to shut this down to me. It's everyday life in third world countries. Heck, it's pretty much goes on everyday in the U.S.

That's a real traveshamockery if I ever saw one!

stupid.

haven't they got better things to do then harass metal heads? like solve CRIME?!?!

Wasn't one of the creators of this site a member here for a while?

Juan is a very cool individual that I have known and traded with for years. But that is about the only good thing I can say about the Phillipines. Otherwise, it is a bastian of scum. From radical terrorist groups down to the hundreds of unethical metal cd traders. Anyone reading this - if you are approached by someone from the Phillipines to make a trade, ask for referrences, do a Google search, and ALWAYS, ALWAYS make them ship first without you sending your stuff until you have rec'd their end. And if their address is Davao City - just delete the pm/email. Hope that saves some future heartache for anyone in the trading community.

Yet another thing, I know nothing about.