Security guards on public transit in Manila have been given instructions by the Video Regulatory Board to use their bomb-screening searches as an excuse to confiscate any home-burned CD or DVD, in the name of stopping "piracy" — no matter whether the disc contains your own backups or photos or a bootleg movie.
I explained to her that the case held a CD-R containing files for work that I wanted to take home and work on overnight.
She then proceeded to inform me that she has been given instructions to confiscate the thing from me. But it's not a bomb, I insisted. A somewhat stupid thing to say, because, of course it's not a bomb. I hastily added that, No, it's not a pirated disc or anything illicit either. But she's started radioing the other guards to come over, and soon enough, there's a long line behind me (yes, I've stepped aside, but there was no one left to inspect bags and belongings, and the guards She-man called for back-up weren't exactly filling her post and were in fact curiously regarding me)…
The supervisor person apologizes, and returns me my stuff. He says that it's a new policy of theirs, imposed, if I understand correctly, by the VRB, to curb piracy. They're supposed to confiscate all recordable discs and especially obviously pirated purchases (which by the way could land you in jail for at least six months if you're caught selling them, but what the hey). So recordable discs including those that come from the workplace and are legit? I ask them, with an eyebrow raised. And he says flatly, yes, because, you know, how can we ever be sure?
(Thanks, Andrew!)