MANILA, Philippines - Lawyers for television network ABS-CBN yesterday asked a lower court to compel host Willie Revillame to produce a contract he had reportedly signed with rival network TV5.
ABS-CBN’s lawyers also told the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 84 that Revillame should admit under oath whether he will host a variety or game show with TV5 and whether he has already started rehearsals for the new show, as reported in the media.
“We are asking the court for the production of contracts signed by plaintiff or anybody else in his behalf with ABC 5,” ABS-CBN lawyer Miguel Silos said during yesterday’s hearing.
Revillame, former host of the show “Wowowee,” had asked the court to confirm his decision to end his contract with ABS-CBN and to award him damages of more than P11 million. The network, in response, filed a counter-claim worth P486 million, saying the host had no power to unilaterally end the contract.
Revillame’s lawyer, Toni Joy Verano, asked the court to suspend the hearing on the motion for production of documents and instead rule first on their omnibus motion, where the host asked the court to declare ABS-CBN in default for alleged failure to observe some legal procedures.
“Should the court rule in favor of our omnibus motion, then the motion for production of document becomes irrelevant,” Verano said.
Judge Luisito Cortez said he would resolve both motions at the same time. He gave the parties time to file their additional pleadings.
He gave ABS-CBN until Monday next week to file their comment on, or objection to, the omnibus motion. The host, meanwhile, has 15 days to comment on ABS-CBN’s motion for the production of documents.