ABS-CBN broke its promise – Pacquiao

From Los Angeles, Manny Pacquiao disclosed yesterday that ABS-CBN broke its promise of a news embargo on his decision to hook up with the network giant and the premature showing of his interview contributed heavily on the controversy that befell him, two rival TV stations and Solar Sports.

“I told them not to show it (interview) while we’re still trying to prove that Solar Sports committed a breach of contract,” Pacquiao said in a teleconference call with mediamen and high-ranking officials of Solar Sports and GMA 7.

ABS-CBN, through its primetime news program TV Patrol, carried Pacquiao’s decision to rescind his contract with Solar Sports on March 18, a decision that caught the TV blocktimer and GMA 7 by surprise.

It could not be determined why Pacquiao came out again on TV the following day reiterating that he will stick with his decision to ditch Solar Sports although it is theorized that ABS-CBN may have also taped a separate interview in anticipation of a backlash.

But the day after Pacquiao reiterated that ABS-CBN had acquired the broadcast rights of his May 2 fight with Ricky Hatton, Pacquiao made a sudden turnaround, saying there was just a misunderstanding about the matter and that he is honoring his contract with Solar Sports after meeting with executives Peter Chan Liong and Wilson Tieng in his apartment unit at The Palazzo.

Upon realizing that he had committed a blunder, Pacquiao is appealing to ABS-CBN to refrain from showing that taped interview that he had with the network.

Pacquiao said he initially thought that he had struck a deal with ABS-CBN on the news embargo since they have yet to prove that Solar Sports, which has a valid contract with the Filipino boxer until May 2011, had committed gross violations against him.

Chan Liong is now hoping that the sad episode in Solar Sports and Pacquiao will now be forgotten as he is looking forward to the fight.

“We are now one happy family,” said Chan Liong, who arrived from the US early yesterday. “This will never happen again.”

Tieng, who joined Chan Liong in the emergency trip to the US, said “Pacquiao saw the light.”
GMA Chief Operating Officer Gilberto Duavit said it is time to look forward.

“What’s important now is that while Pacquiao may have lost some time training, it is now the time to make up (in training),” said Duavit.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao said he learned a valuable lesson from the incident and vowed not to commit the same mistakes again.

“Mas matalino na ako ngayon kaysa kahapon,” said Pacquiao. “Nalaman ko rin na hindi dapat magpadalos-dalos sa pag-dedesisyon at hindi magpadala sa emosyon.”

Before hanging up, GMA 7 big boss Felipe Gozon spoke dearly about the country’s pride and joy.
“Kalimutan na natin ang lahat at mag-training ka na ng mabuti,” said Gozon.

Source: mb.com.ph