Annette Gozon-Valdes on TVJ, other Dabarkads leaving TAPE, Inc.: It’s beyond our control

GMA Network, Inc. isn't taking any side after Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon, and the Eat Bulaga Dabarkads left TAPE, Inc.

According to Nelson Canlas' report on "24 Oras", GMA Senior Vice President Annette Gozon-Valdes said the network  had no control over the situation.

The Kapuso network is saddened by the situation.

Asked why GMA let go of the noontime show, Gozon-Valdes said, "It was beyond our control."

"Kung may say control lang tayo, may say lang tayo sa mangyayari, siyempre hindi natin sila papakawalan. 'Yun ang term nila. Pipigilan natin sila. Susubukan natin gawin ang lahat para mag-stay sila sa atin kaya lang sa totoo hands off ang GMA diyan kasi it was an internal issue between TVJ and TAPE, Inc.," Gozon-Valdes said.

"So, wala naman talaga kaming alam about those issues. Nalaman lang namin ang issues kapag lumalabas sa social media, sa newspaper o sa interviews so it wasn't right for us na makialam," she added.

On whether GMA was siding with the Jalosjos family, Gozon-Valdes said, "From the start, wala talagang kinampihan ang GMA dito. Katulad nga ng sinabi ko it was their internal issues, it was a corporate issue."

Gozon-Valdes also addressed the issue of GMA's contract with TAPE, Inc.

"Para siguro mas maintindihan ng mga tao ang contract kasi ng GMA is with TAPE. Wala kaming contract with TVJ as talents of or as kasama ng TAPE. Ang contract na ito ay isang blocktime agreement," Gozon-Valdes said.

"Ang ibig sabihin nun umuupa sila ng time slot sa atin sa GMA. Binabayaran nila tayo ng upa at para sila yung laman ng noontime slot from Monday to Saturday. Kung ano ang laman nun, wala tayong kinalaman dun," she added.

"In fact, nasa contract nila that they can change hosts, they can reformat and this contract was negotiated by Mr. [Antonio] Tuviera pa ang nag negotiate nung time na 'yun," Gozon-Valdes said.

"We have to honor the contract as long as there is no breach of its provisions. Kasi you know iba ang contract, eh it has legal consequences," she added.

Gozon-Valdes said there will be no change in the GMA's relationship with TAPE, Inc.

Its ties with TVJ and Eat Bulaga's other former hosts will also not change, she added.

GMA's doors are open to the hosts who left Eat Bulaga.

"I fervently believe that it won’t change because iba naman 'yung GMA and iba naman 'yung TAPE. Labas ang GMA sa issues nila with TAPE," Gozon-Valdes said.

GMA is waiting for when the noontime show will return on TV.

It is in TAPE's contract that it should produce a show for the timeslot.

Sparkle—the talent management arm of GMA—is ready to supply talents for the show.

"Kung wala namang conflict and pumapayag yung talents why not 'di ba? Its really a separate business kung mabibigyan naman ng trabaho yung talents namin why not and we've been doing this even before magka falling out years and years back," Gozon-Valdes said.

"Tulad ni Alden galing siya sa Sparkle. Tulad ni Bianca and Ruru talagang we provide talents," she added. —NB, GMA Integrated News