MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao yesterday assailed ABS-CBN for what he claimed was ?a conscious and well-planned grand design to malign him.?
Pacquiao spoke to the media via phone patch from Los Angeles, and shortly after, his lawyer, Franklin Gacal, read a prepared statement during a press conference held at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati.
Pacquiao, according to Gacal, was piqued when ABS-CBN announced a few days ago that the controversial video footage it aired last week had the blessings of boxer, contrary to what Pacquiao also said.
In his latest statement, Pacquiao alleged that ABS-CBN, through its top sportscaster Dyan Castillejo, sweet-talked him into dropping Solar Sports and GMA-7 and renew his partnership with the Lopez network.
Last week, ABS-CBN claimed that Pacquiao approached it after he had contemplated on rescinding the contract with Solar Sports because of some delay in his advance payment for the May 2 fight with Ricky Hatton.
Pacquiao is now saying otherwise.
He named Castillejo as the one who approached him with the idea that ABS-CBN wants his forthcoming fight with Hatton aired on their TV station, and not GMA-7 through Solar Sports.
Gacal said Pacquiao had intended to put to rest the TV rights issue but he was offended by ABS-CBN?s statement that Pacquiao agreed to air the footage announcing his decision to transfer to the giant network.
?I tried to dissuade him from calling the press conference and just move on and focus on his training but to no avail. He wanted to clarify things. He even said ?the truth will set you free,?? said Gacal.
Gabby Lopez, ABS-CBN chairman, maintained the network?s claim.
?He approached us. He wanted to move to ABS-CBN for obvious reasons. Ang promotion, ang reach ng ABS ay far better than anything he has seen in GMA in the last year.
?That is the true reason why he wanted to move. He rescinded his contract (with Solar). He decided to join us. Nagkagulo (Then it turned messy). We acted in an ethical manner. We did not violate any restrictions in the embargo. There is no deal on the politics. Now he has decided to go back to GMA, suportahan na lang natin siya (let?s just support him) and wish him well,? said Lopez.
Contrary to what he said on an ABS-CBN video on March 17, Pacquiao clarified he was not the one who approached ABS-CBN for the purpose of transferring the television rights.
Pacquiao said he was made to believe by the lawyer of ABS-CBN that there was a violation on the part of Solar, which convinced him to entertain the idea of transferring the TV rights to ABS-CBN.
?According to Manny Pacquiao, he?s saddened, troubled and hurting from all the vilification thrown upon him by the unfortunate incident. He admits he is not without fault. He was too trusting, too accommodating and too shy to say no,? said Gacal.
?When he was made to sign the ABS-CBN documents, he was not assisted by his own legal counsel. He was made to believe that what he signed has factual and legal foundation,? Gacal added.
Gacal said Pacquiao is asking that he not be ?crucified? as he is more of a victim than the culprit in the mess.
?He realizes now that if indeed ABS-CBN was motivated by good faith, the prudent thing that they should have done was to exercise due diligence and should have acted without malice,? said Gacal.
?That instead of asking him to sign the documents and to take all the video footages which were repeatedly shown on television, ABS-CBN should have instead acted like a good father of a family, required Manny Pacquiao to first consult his own lawyer,? Gacal added.
The boxing champion also clarified that the aborted transfer to ABS-CBN was not motivated purely by monetary considerations.
Pacquiao said the documents he signed didn?t even stipulate what the full and total financial considerations were to be granted him by ABS-CBN.
Gacal, however, said Pacquiao admitted being promised support by the giant television network in the coming elections where the fighter is planning to run for a Congress seat in Saranggani.
Gacal said Pacquiao vowed to concentrate on his training after issuing these clarifications.
?I must admit that Manny was so much affected by this mess. Sinasabi nga niya ?ayaw ko ng gumising bukas, baka may kontrata na naman akong pipirmahan ( I wish I won?t wake up to find another contract to sign),?? said Gacal.
