SHOWBITZ: Sarah Lahbati vs GMA7 – It ain’t over (Part 3)

MANILA, Philippines – On January Wednesday, 9, Sarah Lahbati posted a new statement on Twitlonger regarding her conflict with GMA7, fanning the flames of an issue that shows no signs of abating. The following day, GMA7 responded, denying all of Sarah’s allegations and firmly asserting that the actress violated her contract.

In her post, Sarah claimed, “It has been three days since Ms Annette Gozon Abrogar [used] GMA news to bombard me and make my image look bad.”

To which GMA Network replied, “GMA News has fairly aired both Sarah’s tweets and the Network’s statements thus she cannot accuse anyone of using the Network’s News Department to make her image look bad.”

The actress demanded, “Why can’t you give a statement about your involvement in ICONS management company dealing with GMA?” She later on states that she has the documents to prove these dealings and that talents managed by ICONS often get special treatment from the network.

This is denied by GMA7 counsel Annette Gozon-Abrogar who “reiterates that she never asked or referred Sarah to ICONS for a co-management contract.”

According to Gozon-Abrogar, “The only referral to ICONS that was ever made was for branding assistance, not for co-management, in order to get more endorsements.”

The network claimed to have “promptly and thoroughly investigated” complaints filed by Sarah last November 2012 and found her allegations “baseless.”

However, GMA7’s statement was silent on Sarah’s claim that the network has not paid her for several projects. She fumes, “I should be the one filing a case against GMA Artist Center, I finished filming two movies and didn’t get paid, I still have collectible cheques from guesting in different shows and out of town shows since 2010 that are UNPAID. When you’re a small artist and new in this industry they will take advantage of you.”

Here is Sarah’s complete, unedited post on Twitlonger dated January 9.

It has been three days since Ms Anette Gozon Abrogar uses GMA news to bombard me and make my image look bad.. Why can’t you give a statement about your involvement in ICONS management company dealing with GMA? We have all the paperworks and proof. I never mentioned that Anette treats artists differently ,read my tweets again, what I’m saying is that artists from ICONS are given more of a special treatment. Why is she so defensive when it comes to ICONS? Give a statement about the underground deals of ICONs on the news!


To all the people saying that we should fix this behind closed doors, we did try fixing these issues privately even before it got public, I was even guaranteed protection by Mr. Gozon if I tell every detail, but when the blame pointed towards Anette, it became a different story. I have all the proof and paperworks with my statements.

I should be the one filing a case against GMA Artist Center, I finished filming two movies and didn’t get paid, I still have collectible cheques from guesting in different shows and out of town shows since 2010 that are UNPAID. When your a small artist and new in this industry they will take advantage of you. Ms. Annette is still trying to shift the focus on other issues, why can’t she give a public statement on the bigger issues of the artist center? That she tried recruiting me to join ICONS management?

My statements do not have malicious intention, I’m just telling the truth, because the people deserve to know the truth about the system of GMA Artist Center. I ask help from GMA news to also investigate the truth behind Gma Artist Center deals with ICONS. I’m not against the whole network of GMA but the system of GMA artist center…

Here is GMA Network’s complete statement dated January 10.

GMA Network replies to Sarah Lahbati’s allegations based on her tweets last night, January 9, 2013.
 
Sarah mentioned “It has been three days since Ms Annette Gozon Abrogar uses GMA news to bombard me and make my image look bad.” GMA Network categorically denies this. GMA News has fairly aired both Sarah’s tweets and the Network’s statements thus she cannot accuse anyone of using the Network’s News Department to make her image look bad.
 
Sarah added, “Why can’t you give a statement about your involvement in ICONS management company dealing with GMA?” Atty. Annette Gozon-Abrogar reiterates that she never asked or referred Sarah to ICONS for a co-management contract.
 
According to Atty. Gozon-Abrogar, “The only referral to ICONS that was ever made was for branding assistance, not for co-management, in order to get more endorsements.”
 
Sarah also mentioned about “fixing these issues privately” with GMA management. Sarah submitted her complaints last November 2012, which was promptly and thoroughly investigated by the Network. After the investigation, however, Sarah’s allegations were found baseless.
 
Further, as stated in the Network’s statement yesterday, January 9, “The Network found no proof of her allegation that there was an ‘under the table’ deal between GMAAC and ICONS Management.  The Network has a policy of prohibiting and penalizing any such ‘under the table’ deal between any of its executives and employees and others dealing with the Network.  This policy is strictly enforced and implemented.”
 
In reference to her tweet saying “… I was even guaranteed protection by Mr. Gozon if I tell every detail, but when the blame pointed towards Anette, it became a different story…”, Atty. Felipe L. Gozon clarifies that what he said to Sarah and her mother was that he was grateful to them for sharing the details about the ICONS referral issue.
 
Atty. Gozon, contrary to what Sarah is now claiming in her tweets, never guaranteed them protection, “She did not ask for protection and I did not guarantee that I will protect her. I cannot protect anyone who is not telling the truth.” – Rappler.com