NEWSFLASH 

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BOOTS ANSON-ROA SUED FOR PBA TV BID

Quezon City, March 26, 2000 - Television network GMA 7 has filed graft charges against IBC 13 president and general manager Boots Anson-Roa and five other board members of Channel 13 for allegedly faking documents used to bid for TV coverage of the PBA games.

Also charged before the office of the Ombudsman were Leonardo Belen, Tereso Javier, Crispina Tina Loi, Renato Bello and Azucena Garcia, all accused of violating Republic Act No. 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials.

The case stemmed from the result of the bidding in late December last year for PBA TV coverage, which was awarded to Vintage, IBC 13’s block timer.

GMA 7 alleged that Roa had lied in a letter to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), dated Dec. 29, 1999 which that the IBC Board had confirmed a three-year airtime availability for the PBA TV coverage. GMA claimed no such meeting was held, and that the airtime contracts of Vintage, IBC’s block timer, were not extended for three years.

Roa’s letter was intended merely to satisfy the PBA requirement for a three-year minimum TV coverage, which Vintage failed to satisfy during the bidder’s final presentation on Dec. 27, 1997.

A GMA 7 source, quoted by THE MANILA TIMES, said Vintage did not meet the deadline for the presentation, but was nonetheless given special accommodations by the PBA.

GMA Marketing also claimed as a forgery a corporate secretary’s certificate, dated Jan. 7, which stated that IBC 13’s board members authorized the grant of an additional five-hour prime time to Vintage to conform with the PBA airtime requirements.

No such meeting was held on Jan. 6, GMA 7 said.

IBC 13 director Leonardo Belen, however, told TMT that a meeting was held late December regarding the matter and due authorization was granted to Vintage Television.

The TMT tried to contact Roa but was informed that the actress is out of the country.

In filing their complaint, GMA Marketing said the acts of the IBC 13 officials are unreasonable, unfair, offensive or discriminating and otherwise illegal, immoral or devoid of justification for which they should be held criminally and administratively liable.

If found guilty, the accused face imprisonment of six to 15 years.

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