GMA Network made this decision regarding a legal battle against TAPE Inc
Television and Production Exponents Incorporated (TAPE Inc) offered a settlement amount to GMA Network but the media company refused to accept this.
To recall GMA filed an estafa complaint against TAPE, the production company majority owned by former congressman Romy Jalosjos, and is now being managed by his children.
The Kapuso network complained about the P37.9 million unpaid airtime fees that the production company had. TAPE has done shows being shown on GMA for many years already, and this included the longest-running noontime show Eat Bulaga.
In a recent report by Kapuso veteran broadcaster Mel Tiangco, it was stated that GMA Network did not accept TAPE’s settlement offer.
The two parties attended a mediation meeting in line with the estafa case filed by GMA against TAPE. Apparently, the Jalosjos-owned company offered an amount less than P37.9 million which was demanded by the Kapuso network.
That amount was reportedly the airtime fees that TAPE failed to pay. At the moment, the production company’s settlement offer is not enough or has not reached the required amount by GMA. It was also said that the case will be raffled again to another prosecutor who will conduct a preliminary investigation.
Netizens have various reactions to this. Some said that this was “karma.” It was earlier reported that actor Paolo Contis and other hosts of Tahanang Pinakamasay, a defunct noontime show produced by TAPE still had unpaid talent fees.
For some netizens, people who lost their jobs due to this issue were in a dire situation, while for others, this was the consequence that TAPE had to face for going against TVJ, the iconic trio of Tio Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon who started Eat Bulaga.