GMA files case against Mo Twister

MANILA, Philippines - GMA Network has filed a civil case against Mo Twister for alleged breach of contract, and competitor station TV5, for hiring the host as its talent.

In a 16-page complaint, GMA also asked the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to issue a temporary restraining order to stop the host (Mohan Gumatay in real life) from appearing on the talk show Paparazzi and prevent TV5 from letting him appear in their shows.

According to GMA, it has an existing exclusive talent agreement with Gumatay.

“In utter disregard of, and in open defiance to this negative covenant, defendant Gumatay rendered services to defendant ABC TV5 as talent and initially appeared on ABC TV5 TV show Paparazzi as host on May 15, 2010,” the complaint said.

The case was raffled off to the QCRTC Branch 217 under Presiding Judge Santiago Arenas.

GMA Network claimed the agreement is from May 4, 2009 to May 3, 2010, but that it had the exclusive and irrevocable option to renew the contract.

GMA’s head of talent division Wilma Galvante purportedly wrote Gumatay before the expiration of the contract, informing him of its renewal. But Gumatay allegedly wrote back on May 8 and said he was not renewing the agreement and that he was resigning as host of the Sunday show Showbiz Central.

As early as March, Gumatay wrote GMA, saying he did not want to renew his talent agreement but the network refused to let him go. The network wrote TV5 on March 26 about GMA’s talent agreement with Gumatay.

“Despite receipt of this letter, defendant ABC TV5 engaged the services of defendant Gumatay as talent/host and allowed him to appear as host on its program Paparazzi last May 15, 2010,” the complaint stated.

GMA also asked the court for a writ of preliminary injunction and to order Gumatay to comply with his agreement with the network and stop from being a talent of TV-5.

The network said Gumatay should be ordered to pay P1,040,000 — the amount equal to double his total compensation for one year — and P1-M in exemplary damages. GMA also asked that an order be issued for the host and TV5 to pay P1-M in attorney’s fees and P1-M as litigation expenses.