BOXING champion Manny Pacquiao is asking for P20 million from a distributor of “Magic Sing” videoke microphones, claiming his name was used without his permission.
The reigning World Boxing Council International super featherweight champion filed a complaint in the Quezon City prosecutor’s office the other day against In-a-Jiffy Enterprise and G2K Corp., distributor of Wow Magic Sing, for violations of the Intellectual Property Code. Also named respondents were company officials Andres Sanchez and Daniel del Rosario.
The alleged unauthorized use of the boxer’s name in promotional materials reportedly compromised his endorsement deal with a direct competitor of the distributor.
Pacquiao accused In-a-Jiffy and G2K with violation of Section 169 of the IPC, saying the companies falsely represented his “Para Sa ’yo ang Laban na ’to” album in advertisements published on Feb. 10 in three broadsheets, as well as in press releases and promo displays.
The ads showed the cover of Pacquiao’s compact disc with a picture of him playing the guitar. Written below were the words: “Free! Manny Pacquiao ‘Para Sa ’yo ang Laban na ’to’ CD.”
The ads claimed that the promotion was “in cooperation with” Star Records, Loverboy productions and Pacquiao-Camo records, producers of the boxer’s album. According to Pacquiao, the catchphrase “Para Sa’yo… Libre ’to,” was an obvious play on the title of his album.
“It tended to suggest my personal involvement in their product,” Pacquiao said. He said the promotional materials were released while he was finalizing negotiations with Astra Group for the endorsement of its Extreme Magic Sing, a direct competitor of Wow Magic Sing, and almost cost him the endorsement contract.
On Feb. 22, Pacquiao’s lawyer Rafael Aquino sent a demand letter to the firms asking for P20 million for the unauthorized use of his name. He also asked the companies to suspend all advertisements using his name.
In a reply dated Feb. 24, Faustino Madriaga, Jr., lawyer of In-a-Jiffy, said nothing in the press materials suggested that Pacquiao was endorsing the product.
Madriaga said his clients were not selling Pacquiao’s album. “They are given free to customers,” he said, adding that the companies got in touch with Star Records for the promotional materials.
But the boxer said there was no document showing the alleged authority given to In-a-Jiffy. “I never authorized them to publicly use my name,” Pacquiao said.
