Last week, ABS-CBN filed a P127 million-copyright infringement case against Willie Revillame, WilProductions, Inc. and ABC 5 (TV5) for “plagiarizing” the TV host’s now defunct daily noontime show on the Kapamilya network Wowowee.
To prove that, indeed, he is loved by the audience, Revillame called on his supporters to join him and fight for Willing Willie, his new show airing on TV5.
Some of them flocked to the Makati Hall of Justice where the hearing of the case was held, but there weren’t that many. Naturally, the public display of adoration was there, otherwise, it wouldn’t be Willie Revillame.
Observers said that many of those who reached out their hands to touch Willie looked like the same persons they see onscreen in his new show.
Well, that’s show business folks, and it isn’t any different from politics, local or national.
In a 33-page complaint filed on Nov. 24 at the Makati Regional Trial Court, ABS-CBN alleged that Revillame and his co-defendants unlawfully infringed on ABS-CBN’s copyright over its show, Wowowee, citing section 172.2(l) of the Intellectual Property Code (IP Code).
ABS-CBN claimed that despite the new show and segment titles, Willing Willie is undeniably a copy of Wowowee. Among the acts of plagiarism listed in the complaint are: (1) Willing Willie’s opening song and/or dance number led by its host; (2) Wowowee’s “Bigaten” versus Willing Willie’s “Big Time Ka;” (3) Wowowee’s “Willie of Fortune” versus Willing Willie’s “Willtime Bigtime,” which contain portions where the contestants tell their personal stories and showcase their talents before they play a singing and/or trivia game; (4) the dancers/characters of Wowowee are also appearing in Willing Willie, most notable of whom is April “Congratulations” Gustilo; and (5) the set design, stage, studio viewers’ seats lay-out, lighting and camera angles of Willing Willie are also strikingly similar to Wowowee.
In this new battle, Revillame asked his supporters to join him and the entire Wowowee crew when they troop to the Makati City Regional Trial Court on Tuesday, Nov. 30, the first scheduled hearing for the copyright infringement case. “Ipaglaban natin ang programang ito,” [We will fight for this program.] urged Revillame.
His loyal and desperate fans camped out near the courtroom at the eve of the hearing. This echoes a similar call he made by Revillame to his minions which led to the deadly stampede around the Ultra.
Revillame has always preached that he only wants to bring hope and happiness to his viewers. Thus, with the new court case filed by ABS-CBN, Revillame accused his former network of wanting to deprive his viewers of a show that give them hope and happiness.
Revillame seemed to have mastered the art of using the masa for his own personal benefit. How can he not, when through Wowowee and its masa following, he earned millions and millions of pesos. In his five years in Wowowee, Revillame was able to purchase a yacht and the mansion of his bosses and displayed his new found wealth cruising around in several expensive cars. He even ventured to build a mall and condo next door to ABS CBN with the help of a candidate he supported in the last elections. Undoubtedly, Revillame’s lifestyle skyrocketed, all because of Wowowee. Has BIR Kim Henares checked if he has been paying his taxes?
That is why his leaving ABS-CBN and stealing with him the show that made him who he is today is simply beyond what his former network can take. From the eyes of his old network, he has become a swell head. And now, he is not only showing ingratitude, he is also stealing them blind.
Revillame sees the copyright infringement case as ABS-CBN’s way of getting back at him. But for what? For him dishonoring his contract with the network? For ABS-CBN, the case is simply a fight for the network’s intellectual property rights. As the producer of Wowowee, ABS-CBN is the legal owner of a valid and subsisting copyright over each and every one of the Wowowee episodes and is thus entitled to protection. It is simply defending its own property.
It is unfortunate that a network’s fight for its rights is being reduced to a circus, with Revillame dragging the masa to a fight that only he and his co-defendants should be accountable. But it is more unfortunate how a well known philanthropist and business mogul is allowing plagiarism in his own network. Revillame has successfully brought a professional with a reputation for decency down the gutter with him.
Manny Pangilinan, Chairman of TV5, was also caught with a plagiarized commencement address which he delivered before graduates at his own alma mater. Panglinan was caught stealing paragraphs from Oprah and JK Rowling, among others, without acknowledging his sources. He has since apologized and offered to resign from the Ateneo de Manila University’s board. It showed his class, his decency.
Pangilinan is a known winner; a leader who steers his companies to unprecedented successes. Similarly, he is one to own up to his mistakes, as evidenced with his admission to plagiarism in his commencement address at the Ateneo. Thus, it is surprising that he allows Revillame to plagiarize Wowowee and bring in a stolen concept to TV5. If he continues to tolerate Revillame, people will start to think that birds of the same feather really flock together.
The copyright infringement case filed by ABS-CBN against Revillame and his co-defendants are based on legal bases. We could only hope that Revillame spares us of his “masa loving” tirades to draw sympathy and just let the court decide.
