GMA 7 ready to go to court

Citing unfair play, GMA 7 officials said yesterday they are filing civil cases against the PBA and its top officials in their individual capacity.

This developed even as the PBA board of governors clarified on Wednesday that it has yet to seal its contract with the Vintage Television consortium pending VTV's submission of pertinent papers to perfect their deal.

GMA 7 officials charged the PBA for having "abused its rights in the conduct of the bidding and had acted in bad faith, malicious and oppressive manner."

In a press statement, GMA 7 said its legal counsels are ready to take the matter to the courts.

A memorandum submitted by lawyer Gener Asuncion has recommended the filing of a damage suit against the PBA, the governors in their individual capacity and against the Vintage consortium for bad faith, injustice and malice.

The GMA Marketing's legal counsel has also recommended the filing of a case for the annulment of the award if one had already been issued. If no award had been awarded, Asuncion said a suit for injunction with damages would be filed.

Asuncion noted in his recommendation that when the PBA scheduled the Dec. 27 final presentation of VTV and GMA Marketing, it was legally bound "to decide the winning bid and not favor VTV with extra time to comply with the minimum requirements."

In that presentation, GMA Marketing submitted all the requirements, including the airtime commitment from the board of directors of PTV 4 where it intended to air the PBA games.

VTV, on the other hand, presented the airtime commitment document two days later with the commitment coming in the form of a letter signed by IBC president Boots Anson Roa that the Channel 13 board in a special meeting confirms the availability of airtime for the PBA games.

GMA 7 charged that Roa's letter contradicts the board resolution which merely confirms the availability of airtime in accordance with the terms of the existing contracts with VTV Corp. and Vintage Television.

Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra, apparently in preparation for the inevitable loss of ace slotman Marlou Aquino, gave Purefoods' 7-foot-1 behemoth EJ Feihl an offer sheet worth P9.3 million for three years.

If he were to make the decision, Purefoods coach Derick Pumaren said he would match Ginebra's offer then put Feihl on the trading block.

Purefoods has five days to match Ginebra's offer or it loses Feihl to his former ballclub.

Feihl, according to Pumaren, got a curious offer from Ginebra that involves a monthly pay of P350,000 in year 2000, a drop to P200,000 in 2001 and a slight increase to P225,000 in 2002.

"Siguro nanggugulat kaya nagbigay ng mataas sa first year," said Pumaren, who's also expecting to receive offer sheet for Boyet Fernandez from San Miguel Beer in the next few days.