MANILA, Philippines—Manny Pacquiao, a master in the boxing ring, has stepped into a different kind of fray—one that has placed him right in the middle of a fierce rivalry between the country’s two biggest television networks.
In a telepress conference Monday organized by GMA 7 and Solar Sports, Pacquiao denied he had severed ties with Solar Sports and said the video on his planned transfer to ABS-CBN was prematurely shown by the Lopez-family controlled network.
He said he had an agreement with ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. that the statement on his transfer would not be aired until he had threshed out certain issues regarding his contract with Solar Sports.
The video of his statement on the transfer was aired on the ABS-CBN news show “TV Patrol” last week.
Speaking via phone patch from Los Angeles, California, where he is training for his May 2 bout with Britain’s Ricky Hatton, Pacquiao said: “Sabi ko, huwag munang maglabas ng video o footage (I said the video or footage should not be shown yet).”
But since ABS-CBN insisted, according to him, on pre-taping the video, Pacquiao said he relented on the condition that the tape would be embargoed.
“Itatago … hindi muna ipapalabas ang video hanggang hindi napapatunayan ang breach of contract. Ayokong makasakit o makasira ng tao o organisasyon (The video will not be shown until it is proved that there has been a breach of contract. I don’t want to hurt or injure any people or organization).”
“That video should not have been aired,” Pacquiao said in Filipino.
Pacquiao also claimed it was not he who wrote the statement on his planned transfer. “Lawyer ng ABS-CBN ang gumawa noon (A lawyer of ABS-CBN prepared it).”
ABS-CBN side
Maria Ressa, ABS-CBN senior vice president for News and Current Affairs, stands by the network’s decision to air the statement.
Ressa said Pacquiao cleared with ABS-CBN the video of his statement for airing.
She told the Philippine Daily Inquirer: “News would not have aired Pacquiao’s statement without his consent.”
On Monday night, on “TV Patrol”, ABS-CBN aired anew a statement it had released on Saturday which said: “We accept that he has changed his mind. Even if he signed a contract with us, we welcome a resolution and wish him well in his fight.”
ABS-CBN declined further comment.
Last Wednesday, ABS-CBN aired a video clip of Pacquiao announcing from Los Angeles that he had signed up with ABS-CBN on his own and ditched his previous deal with Solar Sports to air his megabuck fights on GMA 7.
His wife, Jinkee, also had an interview with the ABS-CBN’s “Showbiz News Ngayon” in which she reportedly said she was happy about the transfer.
Solar Sports, which owns the exclusive rights to Pacquiao’s fights until 2011, earlier signed a block-time agreement with GMA 7 to telecast Pacquiao’s much-awaited fight in Las Vegas against Hatton.
A reporter at Monday’s press conference at the GMA 7 compound asked Pacquiao about his wife’s interview.
In response, Pacquiao asked that his wife be spared from intrigues.
“Huwag na nating idawit ang asawa ko. Wala siyang kaalam-alam. Pupunta lang si Jinkee kung saan ako pupunta (Let’s not drag my wife into this. She knows nothing about this. Jinkee will go where I go.)”
Felipe Gozon, GMA 7 president, said he had full faith that “Pacquiao, as a champion, would do the right thing” and honor his contract with Solar Sports.
Earlier, GMA 7 had said it would have to review its forthcoming projects with Pacquiao should he choose to have the Hatton fight aired on ABS-CBN.
Gozon on Monday said GMA 7 need not re-evaluate its plans for Pacquiao since he had decided to stay with Solar and GMA 7.
Gozon said that, apart from Pacquiao’s present TV shows on GMA 7 (“Pinoy Records” and “Totoy Bato”), he was also set to top-bill a sitcom and a drama series, as well as concerts in the United States (in Los Angeles and Las Vegas) and Canada, “as soon as his training schedule allows.”
Pacquiao has also committed to take part in boxing clinics, organized by GMA 7, all over the Philippines.
Just a misunderstanding
Local media earlier reported that ABS-CBN offered “full media support to ensure (Pacquiao’s) victory in the 2010 congressional elections.”
Gozon said GMA 7 didn’t make any offer of that kind to Pacquiao because “the Omnibus Election Code prohibits television networks” from participating in partisan politics.
ABS-CBN denied that allegation in a statement on March 20. “(The allegation) that ABS-CBN’s supremacy in reach is to be used for Manny Pacquiao’s political plans … is not true.”
According to local media reports, Pacquiao initiated talks with ABS-CBN because he was unhappy with Solar after it supposedly failed to give full payment for earlier boxing matches.
This was denied by Peter Chan Liong, chief operating officer of Solar Sports, who said: “We’ve fully settled with Manny for all the fights.”
He explained that the issue was just a “misunderstanding … that Manny was just misguided and misinformed by certain people around him.” He didn’t say who they were.
Pacquiao mistake
Pacquiao took full responsibility for the fiasco.
“Inaamin ko ang pagkakamali ko. Humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa mga naabala, lalo na sa Solar Sports, nang dahil sa di pagkakaintindihan (I admit my mistake. I would like to apologize to those I have inconvenienced, especially Solar Sports, because of a misunderstanding).”
Pacquiao also said the episode had given him a lesson.
“Natutunan ko mas matalino na ako kaysa kahapon (I learned I’m wiser now than Monday),” he said, adding, again in Filipino: “I shouldn’t let my emotions carry me away… I should think first.”
Peter Chan Liong, who arrived from Los Angeles Monday, said he went to LA “with just one objective, which is basically to set things right.”
Referring to Pacquiao’s statement at the press conference, he said: “Manny would not come out with something like that unless it’s true... I think he was very forthright and honest, which is very important.”
Solar Sports said it would no longer pursue the issue.
“We’re a small company as compared to ABS-CBN; we don’t want to instigate anything against them,” said Solar Sports chair William Tieng.
Chan Liong added: “What’s important is that all of the misunderstanding and drama is over. It’s too much stress.”
