Frank “Jeng” Gacal, the lawyer of Manny Pacquiao, said money was not the reason of the supposed rescission of Pacquiao’s contract with Solar Entertainment Corp.

This is contrary to earlier reports that there was a problem with advances that were not given to Manny on time.

“Ang sabi po niya sa akin, buo ang pag-aakala niya is ang joint venture nila ng Solar ay part of the license agreement, which is not true. Yan ang buong pag-aakala din niya,” shared Gacal in a phone interview on ABS-CBN’s “Umagang Kay Ganda.”

Pacquiao also encountered a problem last year involving contracts with Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions for his bout against Oscar de la Hoya.

To this, Gacal pointed out something about the reason for Manny having two contracts at that time.

“To tell you, it is not money,” he said, before his phone connection got cut.

Unknown initiator

Earlier, Gacal was unable to name the person who initiated the negotiation of “The People’s Champ” getting ABS-CBN as his media partner.

“Yan po ang hindi ko kayang sagutin dahil hindi po ako naging part ng negotiation between ABS-CBN,” he said.

Gacal also said that he was not able to ask Pacquiao about who initiated the talks because “ang naging concentration ko, ang naging center po ng aming usapan ay yung pagpirma niya ng letter of rescission at saka letter of intent.”

In reaction to this, Philip Juico, former Philippine Sports Commission chairman, remarked, “Well di rin mapaliwananag masyado ng mga taong malapit sa kanya, kahit si Atty. Jeng Gacal sinsabi di malaman sino ang nagsimula nito, who initated it.”

Juico added, “Eh sabi nga nung mga ibang nakapaligid sa kaniya bigla nalang di nila alam anong nangyari. Sila mismo nasa Maynila napalipad tuloy ng America upang liwanagin kay Manny anong nangyari.”

Atty. Gacal, meanwhile, noted that there was no problem with Solar Entertainment Corp. and GMA-7.

“Sa GMA-7, siya’y isang contract star, bilang TV star o talent ng GMA-7. Sa Solar Sports naman po, yung license agreement to air the fights in Philippine territory. So sa sitwasyon ng Solar, wala pong pagkukulang o breach on the part of Solar,” said Gacal.

‘A contract is a contract’

Juico, meantime, surmised about the reason for Manny’s latest contract mess.

“Mukhang pera ang nagiging ano, at meron nga nagsasabi kung minsan kung sino kaharap mo yun ang sasabihin mo yun ang gustong marinig. Yung akala mo sa sitwasyon na yun, yun ang pinakamaganda. Baka ganun ang nangyari na siguro nagkaroon na rin ng pressure sa kanya, at yun, ganon ang nangyari,” he said.

When asked by Anthony Taberna, “Sa madaling salita po, may nagsulsol?”, Juico said, “Malamang, siguro dahil hindi naman basta-basta. Hindi naman padalus-dalos yung tao eh. Nag-iisip din yan. Hindi naman siya bigla-bigla nalang kumikilos, napapag-isipan din yan. Siguro kulang lang dun sa sangguni sa ibang tao.”

Juico also mentioned what Top Rank boss and promoter Bob Arum told Pacquiao, “Manny, a contract is a contract.”

He noted that “Baka ang naging problema nga siguro sa kanyang paningin, sa kanyang pananaw, ay merong problema.”

Best advisers

Juico said that Pacquiao could have thought things through and sought the advice of others.

“Siguro dapat masusi niyang pinag-aralan at isinangguni niya sa ibang tao dahil hindi naman abogado si Manny at siya ay naka-focus doon sa kanyang training. Siguro dapat humingi siya ng payo,” he said.

“He can hire the best lawyers. He can hire the best advisers,” said Juico. “Eh dapat siguro yun ang kanyang kinausap,” pertaining to the lawyers and business managers Pacquiao already has.

Face saving

The sports observer and aficionado also said that Pacquiao’s apology, which was read by his lawyer, could be a “way of face saving.”

He added, “Siguro since nabasa ng abogado, who’s supposed to be the representative, eh medyo move on na at kung hindi pera ang naging, siguro nga baka hindi rin pera ang object of the bone of contention. Baka meron pang ibang bagay.”

“Siguro pabayaan na natin siya mag-ensayo para maibigay nya yung kanyang pinakamagaling na laban against Hatton. At saka na natin kung kailangan pang pag-usapan, pag-usapan. Tutal nag-issue na ng statement at humihingi na ng paumanhin.”

And while it can be said that the damage has been done, Juico commented, “Well, consider this as part of the damage control that they’re doing.”