BY CHRISTIAN OINEZA
“Akin ang ‘Eat Bulaga’!”
TELEVISION and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE) chairman Romeo Jalosjos Sr. made this claim before the Marikina regional trial court on Monday during the resumption of the hearing on the issue of who owns the “Eat Bulaga” trademark.
In his testimony, the 83-year-old former lawmaker said: “Akin ang PSI at TAPE, kaya akin din ang ‘Eat Bulaga’ (PSI and TAPE belongs to me, so ‘Eat Bulaga’ also belongs to me).”
PSI is Production Specialists Inc.
Jalosjos said he conceptualized everything about the show and that the TVJ (Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon) trio were hired as hosts while Tony Tuviera was just one of his employees.
The TAPE chairman also testified that while it was De Leon who came up with the “Eat Bulaga” name, he was the one who approved its use.
On cross examination, Jalosjos said that when Tuviera talked with the trio in 1979 to host the noontime show, the program had no name yet.
He said TAPE applied for a trademark to the “Eat Bulaga” name only years after the TVJ had been using it.
He did not present documentary proof showing him as an incorporator of TAPE and PSI when these were registered in 1981 and 1979, respectively.
Jalosjos said the first time he visited the “Eat Bulaga” studio was last February 1, 2023.
The TAPE chairman also admitted that his 1995 conviction for a criminal case had a civil interdiction or accessory penalty which barred him from being part of any company.
TAPE lawyers also presented Maria Lourdes “Malou” Fagar, who was the former creative and production chief of “Eat Bulaga” whom Jenny Ferre replaced in 1994.
Fagar testified that Ferre was an employee of TAPE and that all her creations were owned by TAPE being the employer.
She also insisted that TAPE is the registered owner of the “Eat Bulaga” trademark.
On cross examination, she admitted that Ferre was not a regular employee because she was paid under a confidential payroll, which is different from the regular payroll.
She also could not produce any written employment contract for payroll.
The former head creator also admitted that the IPO wrote a letter to TAPE stating that the ownership issue of the “Eat Bulaga” name is still pending and has yet to be resolved by the Bureau of Legal Affairs.
The next hearing will be on September 29.
