Willie Revillame rescinds contract with ABS-CBN

“I’m done with ABS-CBN.”

This, “Wowowee” host Willie Revillame declared on Aug.9, which dashed a statement circulated by the TV network a few days ago that a new show is in the works for him.

In a press statement, Revillame said that he made the decision in view of the “treatment” he received from the network since the hullaballoo over the show erupted early May. Recall that the host went on a sabbatical—then later put on “indefinite leave” by the network—following a controversy of which he alleged that a fellow ABS-CBN talent insulted “Wowowee” on air.

Revillame confirmed the rumors that he was set to return to “Wowowee” on July 31. He said that he met with ABS-CBN executives Linggit Tan and Charo Santos-Concio on July 10 and 13, respectively, to discuss the matter, including the new additions to the show.

In the second meeting, Willie said that Santos-Concio “confirmed” his return to the show and that they even “embraced each other” which he deemed as a “spontaneous expression of our having resolved whatever differences the Company and I may have had in the past.”

However, on July 20, Willie said he was summoned by Tan only to be told that he will no longer return to “Wowowee.” The TV host received a letter on July 26 that formally informed him of the cancellation of the show but with an offer to host a new, one-hour weekly program, which shall not be a live one but pre-recorded.

Revillame was “shocked” by the network’s decision, saying that his only “mistake” was loving the show too much.

“Thus, when it was cancelled, as if my life was consumed as well,” his statement read. “[That’s why] I see no reason why I should still continue with my contract with ABS-CBN.”

Revillame said that he declined the one-hour weekly show that was offered to him because it is “not of the same kind or of equivalent importance as Wowowee.”

“I will not be able to relate directly to my constituents [in the same way] and make them as happy,” he reasoned.

The controversial TV host elaborated on what “Wowowee” means to him.

“Wowowee has become the core of my existence. It has given me a sense of purpose in life because I was able to reach out to people from all walks of life…Throughout its five and a half year stint, I have put my heart and soul to the program and in the process, I discovered that the secret to its phenomenal success is ‘pagpapaka-totoong tao’ and genuine love and affection for its faithful followers.”

And though Revillame acknowledges that his decision to rescind his contract with ABS-CBN has implications, “I have to do it.”

“I cannot just sit idly by and watch the death of [the] show,” he said.

Revillame did not disclose if he will transfer to another TV station because he is yet to receive formal offers from them, if any.

“For now, my objective is to move on and to learn from my experience.”

But can he?

In a letter that he sent to ABS-CBN top brass Eugenio Lopez III on the day of the media huddle, copies of which were made available to the press, Willie wrote that he was “advised by my counsel that the recission [of his contract] is justified by the Company’s breach of its obligations to me under the Contract 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 reasons 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 my program from three (3) hours daily (Monday to Saturday) or eighteen (18) hours weekly to one (1) our weekly or seventeen (17) hours less.

4. Being placed on probation to a weekly program 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 has become part of my compensation package.

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 2-33% under my watch.

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

The letter was drafted with assistance from his lawyers Leonard de Vera and Ferdinand A. Domingo, both of whom were with Revillame when he announced his decision to leave ABS-CBN altogether.

And the Kapamilya said...

The following statement was sent to Bulletin Entertainment by Bong Osorio, ABS-CBN Head of Corporate Communications, two hours after Revillame's press conference. It read:

"We take note of Willie Revillame's pronouncements in his press conference today (August 9, 2010).

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."

Jojo Panaligan, Manila Bulletin