Sarah wants to void contract with GMA, network refuses

The exchange of words between Sarah Lahbati and GMA-7 continues.

This is after the actress alleged on her official Twitter account (@SarahLahbati) that there is “unfair treatment” in the Kapuso network towards artists who are not co-managed by the talent agency ICONS Talent Management.

[Related: GMA-7 Cites Sarah's Alleged Contract Violations; Annabelle Comes To Her Defense]

Sarah even asked the network to “void” her contract if she does indeed have “bad behavior.”
 
“If GMA is releasing all this bad publicity about me and saying that I have bad behavior then why don't they release me and void my contract?” she tweeted on Monday, January 7.
 
The “Makapiling Kang Muli” star added: “I ask Gma Artist Center now to void my contract with them because I will not have a peaceful and progressive working environment anymore.”
 
Sarah latest series of tweets came after the Kapuso network released a statement on Sunday, January 6 denying the actress’ claims that she was asked by the network to sign a co-management contract with the agency ICONS Talent Management.

“Sarah also mentioned in her tweets her supposed referral by some of the Network executives to ICONS Management.  The Network has not authorized any such referral.  The concrete actions already made by the Network on this matter prove that the Network promptly attends to and acts on complaints or information brought to its attention,” the network’s statement said.

[More: Sarah Asks To Be Released From GMA Contract, BF Richard Pleads ‘Stop Bullying’]

However, according to Sarah, Kapuso executives Arsi Baltazar (of GMA Artist Center) and Annette Gozon-Abrogar (of GMA Films) were the ones who tried to convince her to sign the co-management contract.

“One day my mother & I was asked by Mrs. Annette Gozon Abrogar & Arsi Baltazar(artist center head executives) to have a meeting with them regarding my career. When I arrived at our meeting place in Fridays Tomas MoratoI was shocked because they were convincing me to sign a contract w/ ICONS talent management that is headed by Mr. Bebong Munoz & Andrew Dee,” she tweeted.
 
ICONS Talent Management is the talent agency that handles the careers of Kapuso stars such as Bea Binene and Alden Richards, among others.
 
Sarah further said: “They promised me projects and endorsements, I don't know why two top executives of the Artist Center wanted me to sign with another management company and get another 15% from my salary. After giving us a copy of the contract, my mother and I said that we will think about the offer & we will also discuss it with my dad. My family declined the offer because we didn't know Bebong Munoz & Andrew Dee, plus the deduction of 40 percent was too steep. Mrs. Anette Gozon-Abrogar and Arsi Baltazar told me that a lot of artists from GMA Artist Center already signed with the ICONS company and they will be prioritized so I should do the same.”

[More: Annabelle Rama addresses Sarah Lahbati pregnancy rumors]

This was the reason why she sought to be co-managed by Royal Era Entertainment and Artist Management of Annabelle Rama, Sarah explained.
 
“Because of double bookings & a messed up schedule & other unsolved issues, I needed proper management & protection w/ my career, that's why I asked for tita Annabelle's help,” she said.

Rama is the mother of her boyfriend, Richard Gutierrez.
 
Sarah feels the issues currently being thrown at her — including her alleged walk-out from the taping of “Indio” which reportedly cost the network an additional cost of P500,0000 — are just being used “para mawala ang focus sa mas malaking problema, ang under the table deals ng ICONS with GMA Artist Center.”
 
“I was offered by the daughter of the Network owner to join a company that does under the table deals in GMA and subtract 40 percent from my salary. THERE IS UNFAIR TREATMENT WITH NON ICONS ARTIST LIKE ME,” she tweeted.
 
Kapuso network’s statement
 
Meanwhile, in a statement sent to Yahoo! Philippines OMG! and other media outlets, GMA-7 said Sarah’s latest series of tweets obscures the real issue.
 
“In her latest set of tweets today, January 7, Sarah Lahbati is evidently beclouding the real issue—which is whether or not she indeed violated her contract with GMA Network,” the network said.
 
It reiterated that Sarah’s decision to go on leave “despite the Network’s disapproval is a violation of her contract with the Network.”
 
“Her declared trip to Switzerland for an indefinite period, without the prior consent and approval of the Network, will be an additional violation of her contract.”

[More: GMA-7: Sarah violated contract with network]

As for the actress’ allegations about the “under the table” deals of ICONS and the Kapuso network, GMA-7 said: “The Network reiterates its earlier statement that it has not authorized any such referrals and that concrete actions have already been taken to address this issue.”
 
In response to her tweet asking the Kapuso network to void her contract, GMA-7 said: “In the same way that a contract requires the mutual consent of the two parties, there cannot also be a unilateral cancellation of the contract by Sarah alone.”
 
Sarah is one of the network’s “priority stars,” the network added, and “will not simply allow her to walk away from her contract.”