Solar Entertainment Corp. said Wednesday that it has fulfilled their part of the contract to Filipino boxing idol Manny Pacquiao as far as payments are concerned, claiming that the fighter’s claims on the contrary are baseless.

Enrique de la Cruz, Jr., legal counsel for Solar Sports, said Pacquiao claimed in his letter addressed to the licensee and dated March 17 that “Solar has unjustifiably failed to pay the fees due to the undersigned (Pacquiao).”

The People’s Champ also stated that “The partial payment made yesterday (March 16) is proof of the undue delay by Solar in the performance of its obligations.”

De la Cruz claimed that the boxer’s reason for his decision to dump Solar is vague.

“Magulo nga ang sulat ni Manny kasi sinasabi niya na delayed ang payment ng initial fee at doon sa sulat niya rin sinabi niya na natanggap na niya ang payment kahapon. So unless na nag-demand siya previously, walang delay,” he said.

De la Cruz was reportedly citing the 25-percent payment stipulated in Solar’s License Agreement with Pacquiao.

The agreement stated that “ten days after signing with the Fight Promoter, Licensee (Solar) shall pay to Licensor (Pacquiao) 25 percent of the Rights fee due.”

De la Cruz said that if Pacquiao was citing the unpaid balance in the Oscar de la Hoya fight, Solar needs to pay only a portion of the amount due.

“Five percent of the gross eh, 'yon na lang. That's supposed to be paid 20 days after the bout. So maraming reconciliation na gagawin diyan dahil may mga advances etcetera, at subject pa sa presentation ng statement of account,” he said.

Solar also warned ABS-CBN against interfering with their agreement with Pacquiao, which was signed last May 7, 2007.

A source, however, said that Solar is vague in specifying actual date when the ten-day count for the 25 percent fee would begin.

“The agreement stipulates that the payment for the 25 percent fee should come 10 days after the signing of the Hatton contract. The contract between Top Rank and Pacquiao for the Hatton fight was already signed as of January 28. Pacquiao only received his fee on March 16,” the source said.

“No violation”
For its part, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Network said it believes it has not violated anything in accepting Pacquiao as part of their network.

“Wala namang nilabag na batas or may sinuway na aksyon ang ABS-CBN na magme-merit ng isang legal action coming from Solar Entertainment. nakita natin sa statement kahapon ni Manny, sinabi niya lumapit siya sa ABS-CBN para maging media partner muli ng kanyang laban,” said Bong Osorio, ABS-CBN head of corporate communications.

He added that Pacquiao also did nothing wrong in deciding to renew its ties with ABS-CBN.

“Wala namang viniolate na provision si Manny doon dahil ang kanyang fight ay produksyon ng Top Rank, isang US-based company. Ang ginagawa lang ng ABS-CBN is to broadcast it locally,” Osorio noted.

Meanwhile, GMA7 Network which has ties with Solar Entertainment in airing recent Pacquiao fights, said it was disappointed over the boxer’s decision to ditch Solar.

In a letter addressed to Pacquiao, GMA said the boxer’s decision violates his agreement with the network which bars its talents from appearing on any television program of any other broadcast media other than GMA.

“Your unilateral action to give ABS-CBN the right to air the Pacquiao-Hatton fight violates the provision of the agreement,” said GMA in its letter.

Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee said that her husband has long been planning to move back to ABS-CBN.

“Ang alam ko matagal na rin niyang gustong bumalik sa ABS-CBN. 'Di ko alam na 'yon ang naging [final] desisyon niya, tumawag na lang siya at excited na siyang maka-announce na siya na nag-decide na siya na lilipat na siya sa ABS-CBN,” she said in a telephone interview aired in ABS-CBN’s Showbiz News Ngayon Thursday.

abs-cbnNEWS.com is the online news department of ABS-CBN Interactive Inc., a subsidiary of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.