Solar to take Pacquiao, ABS-CBN to court to protect rights
03/19/2009 | 07:47 PM
MANILA, Philippines –Solar Entertainment Corporation on Thursday reiterated its exclusive rights to bring Manny Pacquiao’s fights to the Philippines and declared it would exercise all legal means to protect such rights.
Solar legal counsel Enrique dela Cruz, Jr. said the company would slap charges against Pacquiao and ABS-CBN for forging a new TV deal that violates Solar’s live contract with Pacquiao’s MP Promotions.
The Solar-Pacquiao contact grants the sports channel and blocktimer exclusive rights “to broadcast, play, run and televise (Pacquiao’s) future bouts either live or replays" from May 6, 2007 to May 6, 2011.
“It’s an exclusive contract and there was tortuous interference, and Manny Pacquiao committed breach," de la Cruz said in a report by 24 Oras.
“Nilabag niya (Pacquiao) ang kasunduan na hindi siya pupwedeng pumunta sa ibang entity na maglalabas ng kanyang laban," he added.
Pacquiao on Tuesday rescinded his unexpired pact with Solar, citing the company’s “failure to fulfill its obligation to pay licensing fee." He picked ABS-CBN to air his May 2 duel with Ricky Hatton and succeeding fights.
But Solar denied Pacquiao’s accusation, saying it even sent the world’s top pound for pound fighter P15-milion as advance payment for the Hatton right. The company also maintained that Solar has no outstanding balance anymore, having fully paid P60 million for each of Pacquiao’s previous four fights.
Meanwhile, de la Cruz said Solar would block ABS-CBN from airing the Pacquiao-Hatton fight via a restraining order.
“Hindi naman namin pinipigilan ang paglaban ni Manny Pacquiao kay Ricky Hatton, karapatan niya ito pero ang karapatan kasi na pinoprotektahan ng Solar ay ang exclusive right to air," he said.
He added that Pacquiao’s appearance on ABS-CBN to promote the Hatton gig last Wednesday itself violates the contract.
“Ito’y isang maliwanag na paglabag sa exclusive contract niya sa Solar," dela Cruz said. –GMANews.TV
Solar legal counsel Enrique dela Cruz, Jr. said the company would slap charges against Pacquiao and ABS-CBN for forging a new TV deal that violates Solar’s live contract with Pacquiao’s MP Promotions.
The Solar-Pacquiao contact grants the sports channel and blocktimer exclusive rights “to broadcast, play, run and televise (Pacquiao’s) future bouts either live or replays" from May 6, 2007 to May 6, 2011.
“It’s an exclusive contract and there was tortuous interference, and Manny Pacquiao committed breach," de la Cruz said in a report by 24 Oras.
“Nilabag niya (Pacquiao) ang kasunduan na hindi siya pupwedeng pumunta sa ibang entity na maglalabas ng kanyang laban," he added.
Pacquiao on Tuesday rescinded his unexpired pact with Solar, citing the company’s “failure to fulfill its obligation to pay licensing fee." He picked ABS-CBN to air his May 2 duel with Ricky Hatton and succeeding fights.
But Solar denied Pacquiao’s accusation, saying it even sent the world’s top pound for pound fighter P15-milion as advance payment for the Hatton right. The company also maintained that Solar has no outstanding balance anymore, having fully paid P60 million for each of Pacquiao’s previous four fights.
Meanwhile, de la Cruz said Solar would block ABS-CBN from airing the Pacquiao-Hatton fight via a restraining order.
“Hindi naman namin pinipigilan ang paglaban ni Manny Pacquiao kay Ricky Hatton, karapatan niya ito pero ang karapatan kasi na pinoprotektahan ng Solar ay ang exclusive right to air," he said.
He added that Pacquiao’s appearance on ABS-CBN to promote the Hatton gig last Wednesday itself violates the contract.
“Ito’y isang maliwanag na paglabag sa exclusive contract niya sa Solar," dela Cruz said. –GMANews.TV
