ANC debunks charges of GMA Network

ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) refuted yesterday allegations that it is using an identification plug similar to that of a rival station.

ABS-CBN chief legal counsel Andrefanio Santos said that ANC’s use of the words totoong serbisyo in the channel ID plug "is used as a description of the service provided by the ABS-CBN News Channel."

Earlier, GMA Network AVP for Legal Affairs Dick Perez warned ANC that it could face possible legal and administrative charges since its use of the totoong serbisyo tagline is illegal.

He said GMA Network is the registered owner of the service mark "Serbisyong Totoo" to describe its news and public affairs programming.

But Santos explained that the totoong serbisyo tagline forms part of the exact words subok na totoong serbisyo which is, in turn, part of a series of phrases that describe ANC’s service and which are all used in the same plug.

The other phrases, he said, are subok na sa paglilingkod, subok na pinakamabilis, subok na pinakakumpleto, sa himpapawid, sa ilalim ng dagat, sa bawat sulok ng Pilipinas, sa bawat lugar na may Pilipino, pambansang balita hindi lang pang-Metro Manila and hatid ng subok na totoong mamamahayag.

Santos said the plug then ends with the words "Maaasahan. Hindi lamang sa salita. Subok na sa gawa," which then eliminates the likelihood of confusion between these phrases and that used by GMA Network.

He added that in the event there are any concerns and issues regarding intellectual property rights, "these matters should be addressed to the proper authorized body, the Intellectual Property Office, and not the print media."