The drama is still far from over.
The group of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon, along with their headwriter Jenny Ferre, has filed a suit against Television and Production Exponents, Inc. and GMA Network, Inc. over the use of the title “Eat Bulaga!” In a summon released on Wednesday, The Marikina Regional Trial Court Branch 273 gave Television and Production Exponents (TAPE), Inc. and GMA Network, Inc. 30 days to comment on the copyright infringement and unfair competition complaint filed by the TVJ group.
TAPE, Inc. has released the following statement through their legal counsel. According to them, they believe that they (TAPE) do not commit copyright infringement. They added, “Eat Bulaga name, the design of the name and the logo is a “trademark” and not a subject of copyright.”
TAPE also said that they registration “of the tradename Eat Bulaga” is filed under the company. Moreover, “their (TVJ) petition for cancellation of trademark of Eat Bulaga is still pending before the IPO and until such time that said petition is granted, the trademark Eat Bulaga and EB will be owned by TAPE, Inc.”
GMA Network, which had been the host network of TAPE and ‘Eat Bulaga’ for over 28 years, has issued a short statement on the matter. According to the Kapuso network, they will refer the complaint to their legal counsel. The Belo Gozon Elma Parel Asuncion and Lucila Law Offices will represent them.
Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon, alongside the rest of the ‘Dabarkads’ and numerous staff members, left TAPE, Inc. on May 31, 2023. Their departure came amidst an internal dispute between their group and the new management of TAPE. On June 7, they announced their transfer to GMA’s rival station TV5, where they began co-producing the new noontime show ‘E.A.T.’
For TAPE, they moved forward with ‘Eat Bulaga,’ tapping former Manila mayor Isko Moreno, Paolo Contis, Buboy Villar, and Betong Sumaya, among others, as new hosts of the program. They have also refrained from using segments from the TVJ era, and even the use of the term ‘Dabarkads’ recently.
In the past, GMA Network had repeatedly distanced itself from the issue. SVP Annette Gozon-Valdes also said that the network is not a party to the internal dispute that occurred between TAPE and TVJ. GMA, meanwhile, said that it is still committed to its contractual relationship with TAPE to broadcast the noontime program until the end of 2024.
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