GMA Marketing sues Roa, IBC officials

GMA Marketing yesterday said it has filed charges of falsification and violations of the anti-graft law and the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials against IBC-13 president Boots Anson-Roa and five other Channel 13 board members in connection with last year's bidding for the coverage of the PBA games.

The sworn complaint, filed with the Ombudsman by GMA Marketing, Inc., identified Roa's co-respondents as IBC-13 directors Leonardo Belen, Tereso Javier, Cristina "Tina Loi" Tolentino, Renato Bello and Azucena Garcia.

The complaint accused Roa of falsifying a letter addressed to the Philippine Basketball Association by stating that the IBC board confirmed a three-year airtime availability for the PBA TV coverage when no such special board meeting was held and the periods of the airtime contracts of Vintage were not extended for three years.

The Roa letter was intended to satisfy the PBA requirement for three years minimum TV coverage, which Vintage failed to satisfy at the bidders' final presentation on Dec. 27, 1999.

GMA Marketing further alleged that the IBC-13 board members falsely made it appear in a corporate secretary's certificate that in a special board meeting, the board authorized the extension of Vintage's contract with an additional 5 hours to conform with the PBA airtime requirements. GMA marketing said no such board meeting was held and the Vintage contract was not extended.

The complaint said the acts of Roa and the other IBC board members in giving undue preference and manifest partiality to Vintage caused undue injury to GMA Marketing which had satisfied and met the PBA's Dec. 27, 1999 deadline.

GMA marketing said the acts of Roa and the other IBC board members are "unreasonable, unfair, offensive or discriminating and otherwise illegal, immoral or devoid of justification' for which they should be held criminally and administratively liable.