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Willie Revillame versus ABS-CBN

Yesterday, Willie Revillame announced in a  movie press at Annabel’s Restaurant (Quezon City) with his lawyers Leonardo de Vera and Ferdinand Domingo: “I’m rescinding my contract with ABS-CBN,” Willie’s contract is good until Sept. 2011. This is his first time to come out in the open since he was said to be suspended Wowowee last May. Willie Revillame is ready to face ABS-CBN in court following his announcement to rescind his contract with the network. He even joked that he might start a new TV show titled "Willing Willie" or "Wil na Wil."

"Basta gusto ko bago mag-Pasko kung saan man ay may programa na ako. Kung saan man, gusto ko talaga na ganoon. Kung ano ang mangyari sa akin ay gagawan ko ng paraan ‘yon," Revillame said.

He added:"Hangga’t hindi ako nai-injunction pwede naman daw akong lumabas sabi ng mga abogado ko."

In a letter to Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez, ABS-CBN Chairman of the Board, signed by Willie and his lawyers, Willie said that his decision is justified by ABS-CBN’s breach of its obligations to him under his contract with the company “and its consequences which, according to their nature, should be in keeping with good faith, usage and law; and the unjust imposition of unauthorized penalties,” as follows:

1. Suspension without pay.

2. Unilateral cancellation of the Wowowee Program due to reason not attributable to me. The Wowowee Program became successful because of me, as the host/creative force. The ratings, in fact, fell because I was taken out as Host.

3. Unilateral downgrading of m y program from three (3) hours daily (Monday to Saturday) or eighteen (18) hours weekly to one (1) hour weekly or seventeen (17) hours less.

4. Being placed on probation to a weekly programs without assurance to reinstatement to daily programming.

5. Unilateral downgrading of my appearance from a “live” to a “pre-recorded” program, which constitutes prior restraint and censorship.

6. Due to 2 and 3 above, I was, and will be, deprived of my earning from “in-show” product endorsements which have become part of my compensation as a talent of the Company.

7. Deliberate sabotage of my image by the Company by airing, or allowing to be aired, destructive pieces against me, instead of promoting me as a talent of the company.

8. Abuse of right by the Company under a one-sided contract of adhesion, purposely intended to destroy my career and humiliate me, which is not in keeping with good faith, usage and law.

9. Refusing to salvage the Wowowee Program by reinstating me as Host when the rating started to decline with different trial hosts who did not generate the same viewership of 22-23 percent under my watch.

10. To continue to work under the proposed probation, censorship and prior restraint constitutes involuntary servitude.

Willie is bound to ABS-CBN by a contract until September 2011. He violated the behavioral provisions of his contract when he threatened the ABS-CBN management during the May 4, 2010 episode of Wowowee, with a resignation if management does not fire another artist of the network. His behavior was generally seen as a display of disrespect and arrogance, completely unacceptable to the Filipino public.

As the one who violated his contract, Willie has no right to have it unilaterally invalidated. Contracts are binding agreements that must be respected by the contracting parties involved. The one who violates the contract cannot be allowed to dictate whether it should continue or end. Otherwise, contracts will have no value and may be terminated based on whim.

ABS-CBN is the aggrieved party, and as such, is the only one that can decide to end the agreement.

Despite all that had happened, ABS-CBN was willing to continue with the contract. Willie, however, refused to take responsibility for his actions.

ABS-CBN wishes to reiterate that it will hold Willie to his obligations under the contract which expires September 2011.

Wowowee is officially replaced by Pilipinas Win na Win.

Source: FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)