The feud between the Kapuso network and Sarah Lahbati has worsened, now that GMA Network has filed a case against her at the Quezon City Regional Trial court.
A report aired on “Startalk on Jan. 12 said GMA 7 filed a complaint against Sarah for “refusing to comply with the terms of her contract with GMA 7 and its programs.”
The complaint cited “serious breach of management and program contracts.” It also mentioned that Sarah’s “continuous dishonor and flagrant violations of her obligations to perform her role as an artist in GMA 7 TV programs is highly detrimental to entertainment block of GMA 7.”
Thus, GMA asked the court to order Sarah to pay P8.5-M in damages.
Second case
This is the second case Sarah is facing. The first, which GMA Films president Atty. Annette Gozon-Abrogar, filed on Jan. 10, involves libel.
GMA-7 lawyer Gener Asuncion said the criminal action for libel is serious because it involves imprisonment.
“This is a civil action requiring her to perform her role which she signed up (for) in GMA 7,” notes Asuncion.
In her complaint affidavit, Abrogar denied forcing Sarah or any GMA artist to sign up with Icons Celebrity Marketing, the company that provides branding and image services to GMA 7 artists.
In fact, Abrogar said it was Sarah and her mother who approached the GMA executive to ask for help in getting (product) endorsements. Thus, explains Abrogar, she gave the contact details of Icons to Sarah.
Abrogar added that Sarah just wanted to get back at her (Abrogar) and GMA-7 because the network wants her to void her co-management contract with Royal Era Artist Management, the company owned by Annabelle Rama, mother of the actress’ boyfriend Richard Gutierrez.
The said contract, said GMA, violates a previous one Sarah signed with the Kapuso network.
Sarah is under contract with GMA-7 until Feb. 2015.
Reached for comment, Sarah told “Startalk” head researcher and reporter Gory Rula that she has opted to keep quiet for now. Sarah told Gorgy that she will speak up when the right time comes.
Editor's note: Yahoo! Philippines OMG! welcomes opinions—and the occasional wisecracks—that enrich and highlight new angles on its stories. Below-the-belt rants may be a fact of online life, but that doesn't mean you should turn into a troll. You can speak your mind without bashing anyone. Keep it clean, folks.
