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ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday released a statement that criticized a Department of Justice decision to charge network employees, including two executives, for the Philsports Arena (formerly ULTRA) stampede in February.

"ABS-CBN maintains the innocence of its officers and production staff in connection with the charges filed by the Department of Justice for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicides and physical injuries," the statement said.

The company also maintained that there is no evidence to support the decision of the DOJ.
"It is ABS-CBN's position that there is no evidence to support the DOJ's decision. Thus, ABS-CBN will take the necessary legal action to reverse the decision and to protect its officers and production staff," the statement added.

A DOJ panel that conducted the probe on the stampede during the "Wowowee" gameshow's anniversary named the respondents as Charo Santos-Concio, Channel 2 boss and network executive vice-president; Socorro Vidanes, head of TV production, Cipriano Luspo, chief of security; Wowowee host Willie Revillame; program producer Marilou Almaden; and other Wowowee staff.

The network officials will be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and physical injuries.

Aside from the ABS-CBN officers, two other officials from ULTRA and three from Goldlink Security and Allied Services will also be charged.

The ULTRA stampede claimed the lives of 71 Wowowee fans. The justice department said that the incident could have been prevented.

"That's why it’s called reckless imprudence, reckless negligence, they weren't able to do the necessary precautions to prevent what happened," Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said.
DOJ's 70-page resolution detailed the culpability of each respondent.

Part of the resolution said that Concio failed to exercise care in the management of the event as executive vice-president.

The show’s host Revillame, meanwhile, is liable for "enthralling the people with fabulous prizes."

The DOJ panel, meanwhile, recommended a separate preliminary investigation for Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio and members of the city’s police force and security detailed at ULTRA to determine if they are also liable for the tragedy.

Although open sana ang GMA sa idea na bigyan ng show ang dalawa dahil naniniwala naman si Ms. Wilma na parehong magaling na artista sina Jericho and Heart.

Ms. Wilma also emphasized na never silang nag-pirate. Kung marami mang taga-ABS-CBN na artista nila ngayon, lahat daw ‘yun ay lumipat sa kanila at hindi pirate.

read the entire article here!

ABS-CBN’S revival of the 80’s hit “Gulong ng Palad” was such a toprater it’s no wonder they’re reviving another hit soap from RPN-9, “Flor de Luna”. (We won’t be surprised then if GMA-7 would also revive their former hit, “Anna Liza”.)

The new “Flor de Luna” will be directed by Jerry Sineneng, who was convincing as a film director exploiting macho dancers (is this true to life, Jerry?) in “Twilight Dancers”. Playing the title role that made Janice de Belen a household name then is Eliza Pineda, best known as the daughter of Piolo Pascual in “Till There Was You”. Playing her mom (Emma Yuhico then) is Vina Morales and the stepmom (Laurice Guillen then) is Eula Valdez. Originally tapped to play Vina’s role was Kris Aquino, but she demurred when she got preggy. Still to be cast is the role of the dad (then played by the late Dindo Fernando) and the brother Reneboy (then played by Herbert Bautista). A very important role is that of the villainous Donya Agueda (then played by Carmen Enriquez). Our suggestion is they now get Laurice to play that role as a nod to the original series.

Dahil sa nangyari (Jericho and Heart's supposed transfer to GMA), nagbaba ng memo ang management ng network addressed sa production managers at talent coordinators na ’wag munang kukuha ng mga artista mula sa ABS-CBN para i-guest sa mga show ng Channel 7, pati sa QTV 11.

Hinayang na hinayang ang isang magaling na comedian na nakilala sa Dos dahil hindi matutuloy ang guesting niya sa isa sa mga sitcom ng Siyete.

Excited pa naman ito at role agad ang tinanong, hindi ang talent fee. Hindi alam ng aming source kung hanggang kailan effective ang advisory na ito.

Napikon na raw ang Channel 7, kaya hindi lang para kina Heart at Jericho ang memo, kasama na ang ibang talents ng Dos na puwede sanang lumabas sa mga show ng Siyete at QTV 11.

read the entire article here!

This Eigenmann chooses to be Kapamilya

Most of the Eigenmanns are Kapuso.

You see Mark Gil in Atlantika and his son Gabby Eigenmann is a fixture on the Sunday noontime variety SOP and every now and then plays a role in the network’s primetime drama series. Cherie Gil is la primera contrafigura in the afternoon soap Now and Forever: Dangal.

AJ Eigenmann, Michael de Mesa and Gina Alajar’s son, is in Pinakamamahal, an afternoon soap weekdays on the Kapuso network. But his brother, Geoff Eigenmann, has chosen to be on the other side.

Recently, Geoff signed with ABS-CBN Star Magic family. And the move is considered by fellow Kapamilya as a homecoming of sorts. After all, as a little boy, Geoff was in the very popular Ang TV. He was only eight years old then.

Coming from a reputable family of actors, Geoff’s decision to be like his parents didn’t come as a surprise. In fact, it had been anticipated that he’d follow in the footsteps of Michael de Mesa and Gina Alajar.

As a kid, more than a decade past, Geoff used to tag along his parents to tapings. His education in show business was already beginning then. His interest in what his parents did for a living soon became part of his consciousness as he began to be part of show business. Yet, his biggest break would be a starring role—not in a television show or a motion picture—in a television commercial for Globe.

Not a few noticed the good looks and the charming uneven lop-sided smile. In just a span of two weeks, people are talking about this guy up in the mountains who needed a load for his mobile phone.

What followed was a dizzying baptism into the realm of show business. He landed a role in ABS-CBN’s Hiram with Anne Curtis, Dina Bonnevie and Kris Aquino. Not long after that soap had concluded, he is in Ikaw ang Lahat Sa Akin with Claudine Barretto, Diether Ocampo, Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz.

From television, he hopped onto the movie bandwagon with a starring role in two blockbuster movies—Becuz of U and the recent First Day High—both from Star Cinema.

His potential as an actor has become obvious, yet Geoff doesn’t want to be confined to just creating characters. He also wants to be known as Geoff Eigenmann. And so he is accepting a hosting stint in ASAP Fanatic with Luis Manzano and John Prats. He is also one of the VJs of Studio 23’s MYX and regular hosts in ASAP ’06 every Sunday.

Another big role is coming for this Eigenmann. He will play a prisoner named Cyrus in the forthcoming series Rounin.

Isn’t there a movie titled Ronin with Robert De Niro? I wonder if there’s any similarities? Nikki Gil (no relation to the Eigenmanns) is going to play Geoff’s love interest in the series.
Like all Eigenmanns, he is passionate about his craft. His greatest dream as an actor is to be able to work with his parents in a TV series or movie.

Geoff was recently given a grand welcome in ASAP ’06s “Full Circle” segment, which features the artists of Star Magic.

I, by no means, want to start a fight but I chanced upon two articles (both from Inquirer) with negative write-ups about the recently concluded "sineserye" of ABS-CBN. While, Nestor Torre's article has some merit, how can one say about the other whose entire article is based on a single scene he saw on tv. But then again, to each his own. Sharing the articles here:

NOW THAT “BITUING WALANG Ningning” has finally faded to black on our TV screens, we can more objectively and comprehensively evaluate its long run on ABS-CBN.

First conclusion: It’s downright amazing how the people behind the show were able to stretch its slim movie story into a months-long drama series, full of emotional highs and lows, dramatic twists and turns, and melodramatic tics and schticks at every turn.

The result of all that stretching was sometimes discombobulating, however. Characters ended up contradicting their initial nature, the struggle between good and evil became too ferocious for words, and performances were either insufficient or over-the-top.

Most insufficient of all was Sarah Geronimo’s portrayal of the series’ lead ingenue, Dorina. Sarah is a good singer, but she wasn’t able to make her character dramatically compelling and empathetic, opting instead to play her as a weeping victim practically from beginning to end.

At the other, over-the-top end, the show was able to do the seemingly impossible—make a bad actress out of the much-admired Amy Austria.

The fine thespian was cast as the mother of Dorina’s rival, Lavinia, and was required to do such dastardly things that believability flew out of the window.

read more here!

But Angelika as the new Lavinia ... Now who’s the genius behind this casting?

Angelika is famous for ... RDL Products. She’s pert, pretty and perky in a show-biz kind of way, which means you can count on her to laugh her tinkly laugh whenever she’s asked the latest chismis about her, or her latest crushes, or, yes, her very challenging role as the new Cherie Gil in ABS-CBN’s sineserye, otherwise known as the network’s latest stab at scraping the bottom of the barrel.

So Angelika is supposed to be playing this high-flying, wildly successful singer who’s out to smite her upstart competitor with a glacial stare or, failing that, with the most famous putdown in Pinoy pop culture. I’ve no idea how that sabuyan ng tubig—or was it basagan ng baso?—played out in the TV version, but I can tell you this. Angelika as Lavinia, at least from what I saw briefly, is nothing but a second-rate, trying-hard, uh, girl.

Angelika, wherever you are, sue the casting idiot that got you into this stinky mess. That goes for you too, Sarah girl.

read the entire article here!

May mga ibang staff ng ABS-CBN na tila dina-down ang bagong soap dramang Maging Sino Ka Man nina John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo, Sam Milby at Anne Curtis dahil ayon mismo sa kwento sa amin ng executive ng nasabing network ay disappointed daw ang management sa MSKM dahil hindi pa raw ito pumapalo sa ratings.

"Nag-expect kasi ang mga bossing na mataas kaagad ang ratings kasi nga mataas ang pagtatapos ng Bituing Walang Ningning," eksaktong sabi sa amin.

Wala nga raw problema sa nasabing soap drama, in fact almost perfect ang istorya, parang pelikula nga raw, pero hirap itong umangat dahil hindi pa yata tumutuntong sa 30% plus.

Katwiran naman ng taga-Star Cinema tungkol sa isyu, "Actually po, hindi naman masasabing disappointed, alam din naman kasing matagal magpataas ng ratings ng Maging Sino Ka Man. At saka halos lahat po ng soap drama ng Dos nung nag-uumpisa ay mababa ang ratings at saka lang tumataas.

Sa sobrang laki siguro ng gastos ng MSKM kaya siguro nage-expect ang management ng mataas na ratings, di ba Star Cinema?

Maging Sino Ka Man, after it's initial week-run, leaves one with high hopes for a teleserye worthy of tuning into night after night.

It is obvious from the impressive pilot telecast that considerable effort has been put into it to make the series believable. The writers took it to ensure that viewers would not question Jackie's deep state of unconsciousness throughout the entire kidnapping and car chase incident. Also, the careful shots of the director during the car chase and explosion leaves no room for doubt that they are still in the Mercedes. Normally, if the story calls for a car explosion, you'd see the lead actors in a car not worthy of their stature.

Apart from that, one thing that I also admire is the fact that all the characters are well-developed. Watching them makes one believe that they have truly lived the life that they are living.

For those of you who haven't been watching the series, switch channels now! Don't wait for the finale before you tune in and then start requesting to have it aired again.

What? Only a budding child actor-singer can overtake Dingdong Dantes in the TV ratings?

Makisig Morales showed he has the "super powers" indeed, as ABS-CBN’s fantaserye, "Super Inggo," toppled the pilot episode of GMA 7’s newest teleserye, "Atlantika" in the ratings.

"Atlantika," which topbills Dingdong Dantes, merely registered 23.2 percent in Metro Manila during its pilot telecast, versus "Super Inggo" which had 29.1 percent in the Nielsen survey. In Mega Manila, "Atlantika" had 25.5 percent, while "Super Inggo" dominated the timeslot with 26 percent.

Now on its second week, "Atlantika," which is a big-budget underwater fantasy series, even sank deeper into the ratings, as it merely averages 20 percent on its timeslot.

Indeed, Makisig shows he really has kwek-kwek power to propel "Super Inggo" to the top of the primetime ratings race.

Gaano katotoo na nagre-reklamo na raw ang cast ng fantaseryeng Super Inggo dahil ilang buwan na raw silang nakatengga as in walang taping.

Hindi raw makapagbigay ng eksaktong araw o date ang mga staff ng SI sa mga artista nila kung kailan ang resume ng taping dahil naghihintay din daw sila ng go signal mula sa bossing nila.

Ang katwiran kasi ng mga artista ng Inggo ay, "May mga raket din kami, may mga out of town shows, hindi namin matanggap dahil naka-reserved para sa taping daw ng Super Inggo, e, wala naman pala. Sayang naman din ang kikitain namin. E, pag walang taping, wala ring kita."