NBN, IBC 13 mull legal actions vs Summit

NBN-4 and IBC-13 were set to take legal actions to solve their financial woes with financier Summit Sports World Inc. regarding their partnership for the PBA games coverage.

This developed as Summit Sports failed to settle its financial obligations with the two networks, prompting IBC-13 to refrain from resuming their broadcast of the games last night.

"Ilang deadlines na ang ibinigay namin na hindi nila na-meet. All of these forced us to study legal steps to be undertaken against Summit," Concio told The STAR.

With Summit unpaid dues to NBN-4 and IBC-13 ballooning to over P150 million, the two networks are now thinking on terminating their pact with their financier, then make their own deal for the PBA project.

"Actually, may direction na. Hindi pa lang napa-finalize because of many legalities involved," said Concio on their own current talks with IBC-13 for the resumption of their simulcast airing of the PBA games.

IBC-13 pulled out of the coverage two weeks ago as Summit’s unpaid dues on airtime to the sequestered station hit the P70 million mark.

But the PBA cited a breach of contract on the part of the consortium on IBC-13’s sudden pullout. The PBA demanded the consortium to resume the simul telecast or it would impose a penalty of P3 million for every playdate the simul is missed on TV.

Meanwhile, seven program committee members of IBC-13 have resigned citing alleged anomalies that led to the pullout of the PBA games coverage by IBC-13.

In a four-page letter, program committee members Bob del Rosario, Tessie Taylor, Jose Ramos Jr., Ma. Angelica Garciano, Dave Fugoso, Pete Dayao and Mel Rabadam alleged that their president and chief executive officer, Lincoln Tan, committed grave abuse of authority and several irregularities.

Tan, the group alleged, allowed the PBA games to be aired on IBC 13 despite non-payment of airtime, adding that Tan gave direct order to broadcast staff to continue airing the games without seeking board approval.- Nelson Beltran