JC caught between Wilma, Annabelle

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

EXPECT the word war between GMA executive Wilma Galvante and Annabelle Rama to escalate further now that Wilma chose to answer back.

The presscon was supposed to be about GMA Telebabad now being bigger and stronger with new shows "Totoy Bato," "Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang," "All About Eve" and soon, "Zorro." But the talk didn’t focus on that but on Wilma’s side on the controversy about JC de Vera who Annabelle said Wilma detained in her office, so he cried.

"They were having a storycon then for ‘SRO: Cinema Serye’ and I wasn’t even in that meeting," says Wilma. "My office is in the same floor, sa 7th floor, and Marivin (Arayata, a GMA production executive) told me umiiyak si JC kasi tumawag daw ang manager niya and said he won’t do the project. I told Marivin to ask JC to come to my office kasi artista namin siya, tapos nakikita ng mga taong dumaraan doon na umiiyak siya. And he told me nga na nahihiya na siya sa mga nangyayari. Tapos dumating si Kuya Germs at sinabi raw ng managerni JC na detained siya sa office ko. Then nabasa ko na lang, his manager calls me traydor at sinisiraan ko raw siya sa mga alaga niya. Nabaligtad na ang kuwento kaya nag-sorry pa siJC sa’kin. He said ‘Ma’am, pasensiya na po, napalaki ko pa ang problema nyo. I no longer know what to do’."

Right after we talked to Wilma, Annabelle had her own presscon with JC in it. "Ayoko na sana magpa-presscon pero kailangan sagutin siya," she said.

The press insists that JC himself should tell what really happened at Wilma’s office. "Kung ano yung sinabi ni Tita, ‘yun na po ‘yun," JC says. "Si Tita na lang po ang sasagot for me. ‘Di na important what happened on that day. Tapos na ‘yun. What’s important now is what will happen after my contract expires."

Wilma says that even if JC’s contract expires this March, he has previously signed a clause in it that he’s granting the network the option to renew it for one more year. "Ang pinirmahan ko lang po, ‘yung parang sa call slip na received copy," JC says. "I didn’t know contract na pala ‘yun."

"’Wag niyang ipilit ‘yang automatic renewal ngcontract," says Annabelle. "May lawyer siya, may lawyer din ako. Mahal ko ang GMA, pero ‘yang style niyang dinaraan agad sa lawyer, parang hina-harrass niya ako at pati na si JC. Buti pa kung binola-bola na lang niya ako, madali naman ako kausap. Tinawagan ako ni JC noon kasi he found out si Marvin Agustin talaga ang bida sa show na binibigay sa kanya. So frustrated siya."

Wilma says this isn’t true. "Si JC ang bidang good boy. Si Marvin contravidang bad guy, just like his role in ‘Babangon Ako’ and ‘La Lola’ na suporta rin lang siya kay JC."

"I have the script at home," says Annabelle. "Basahin mo, si Marvin talaga ang bida. Mas maganda ang role niya kasi bida-contravida as the stepdad of JC na asawa ni Sheryl Cruz."

So what does GMA plan to do with JC?

"Wala naman silang magagawa. We’ll just enforce the contract. Binibigyan naman namin siya ng ibang project, like ‘Ngayon at Kailanman,’ but they rejected it also. May obligation kami to give him projects and we’re doing that. We built him up. Puede ba naman namin siyang sirain?"

"Six years na si JC sa kanila," says Annabelle. "Pero hindi nila binibigyan ng magagandang projects."

What’s the stand of GMA boss Felipe Gozon about the issue?

"We’ve talked," says Wilma. "He told me: You should defend yourself, but do not stoop to her level. Kayo kasi, pinabayaan n’yo. Kinunsinti nyo, umabuso na. Ginaganyan na kayo, you have to act on it.’ If someone wants to talk to him directly, Atty. Gozon has already issued an advisory na bawal basta papasukin ang kahit sino sa office niya."

"Hindi ako naniniwalang sinabi ‘yan ni Atty. Gozon," says Annabelle. "And I can always go to his house in Forbes Park dahil kaibigan kong asawa niya, o kay Duavit sa Green Meadows. Abusado pala ko, ‘di sige, i-release nila si Richard (Gutierrez, her son).Hinahamon ko sila. Hindi ako natatakot. I don’t care. Sasabihin ko lahat dito, bahala kayo kung gusto nyo isulat o hindi. Gusto yata ni Wilma, bigyan ko siya ng commission, e. Hindi niya sinasabi, peroautomatic akong nagbibigay sa kanya ng regalo kasi nagpaparinig siya sa’kin ng, ‘O, nilakad ko yan kay Atty. Gozon, ha.’ One time, aalis siya, binigyan ko siya ng $5,000. Sa Las Vegas, binigyan ko siya ng $3,000. ‘Wag na siyang magmalinis. Mga alahas kong binibigay sa kanya, sinusuot niya, no? Tigilan na ko at marami pa kong puedeng ilabas na baho niya. Kung ayaw na nila sa mga alaga ko, bitawan na nila."

"Kung nagbigay nga siya sa amin ng regalo," says Wilma, "does she expect na dahil dun, gagawin na namin lahat ng gusto niya? Sorry pero hindi po nabibili ang integridad ng officers ng GMA. Actually, we’ve been very conciliatory to her. Gawing-gawi niya, pag mag-uumpisa na ang isang project, biglang may demands siyang ipapasok ang mga artista niya, like in ‘Zorro,’ puro talents niya nga ang nandun tapos kami pang masama. Kami naman, para matuloy agad angtaping, pinagbibigyan na namin siya. Nagrereklamo na nga ang ibang managers dahil puro talents na lang daw niya ang kinukuha namin. We compromised with her then, and now, we’re suffering the consequences."

"Totoo ‘yun," says Annabelle. "I do that sa shows ni Richard. Bakit, masama ba? E, anak kong bida? Akong nanay, e ‘di ipasok ko ang mga alaga ko kaysa siyang kumita sa mga alaga niya. Hindi naman siya ang nagbigay ng projects kay JC, a. Si Anette Gozon. Si Princess Violago, lumapit sa’kin ‘yung nanay. I-manage ko raw. I told her about it, sabi niya, huwag at marami raw complaints. Hindi ko kinuha pero ano nangyari? Kinuha nila ngayon sa Artist Center. Si Carla Humphries, kaibigan ni Raymond. Pina-audition for ‘Zorro.’ From 20, naging 10 sila, naging 5, naging 3 na lang. So akala namin, pasok na talaga si Carla. Kaso, tinanong siya, sinong manager mo? She said si Annabelle Rama.Ayun, patay, chugi na siya. Kundi siguro akong manager, si Wilmaang magma-manage sa kanya."

So what will be GMA’s final decision?

"We’ll course it through our lawyer. Masipag naman anglegal department ng GMA. About our talents, wala namang indispensable, not even me. Lahat tayo, puedeng palitan. We’ve already proven that we can build up new talents. Hayan nga, ang ganda ng ratings ng ‘Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin?’ with Aljur Abrenica and Kris Bernal in it. We’re also introducing Carla Abellana in ‘Rosalinda.’ We saw her potential in ‘Zorro.’ In the last quarter of the year, we’ll have the new ‘Starstruck Artista Search.’ Basta we’ll continue to discover and develop new talents."

***

Jean Garcia and Eula Valdes made an impact as Madam Claudia and Amor Powers in "Pangako Sa’Yo" in 2000. Now, they’re together again as mortal enemies in "All About Eve," their first series together on GMA-7. Jean plays Katrina, the poor girl who falls in love with the rich Frederico (Richard Gomez), whose mom, Donya Concepcion (Celia Rodriguez), is against her and forces Frederico to marry Lisa (Ina Raymundo). Lisa is killed and Jean is accused of killing her. Eula is Alma, Jean’s best friend who testifies against her so she is imprisoned. Alma later hooks up with Richard.

But they’re not the only set of warring lovers in the show. Jean delivers a child in jail, Erika (Sunshine Dizon), who’s raised by her admirer, the abusive Mando (Ian de Leon). Richard also had a child with Ina, Nicole (Iza Calzado), who becomes Erica’s bitter rival. Alfred Vargas is Warren, the son of Eula from a previous marriage. Mark Anthony Fernandez is Kenneth, the son of a broadcasting magnate, Don Robert (Eric Quizon), who is estranged from his dad. Completing the cast are Angel Aquino as Judith, the newscaster who becomes the superior of Sunshine and Iza; Keempee de Leon as Paul, the womanizing best friend of Mark; Carmen Ronda as Donya Luisa, the mom of Eric and grandma of Mark; and Gabby Eigenmann as Max, Erica’s ex-boyfriend from the slums.

Jean says she got excited when she was told she’d be reunited with Eula in "All About Eve."

"I thought hindi na kami magkakatrabaho uli when I moved to GMA-7," she says. "The last time we worked together was in ‘Kampanerang Kuba’ four years ago. But later on, lumipat din siya rito and finally, we got the perfect vehicle for us to work together again kasi marami talagang nagtatanong kung kelan kami magsasama uli."

"As co-workers, sanay na kami ni Jean sa isa’t isa," says Eula. "Kung minsan nga, we don’t even need to talk, basta tinginan lang, alam na namin ang gagawin sa eksena. This is my fourth show with GMA after ‘Kamandag,’ ‘ESP’ with Iza Calzado and ‘La Lola.’ We won’t disappoint our fans in ‘All About Eve’ kasi talagang marami kaming bonggang-bonggang dramatic and tarayan scenes. "

Source: Malaya

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