Volume 4, Issue No. 30
OPINION/COMMENTARY
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
Our latest as of Monday, December 12, 2022
~ The shitstorm is finally coming! The once overly friendly but now forsaken braggarts in the local community are asking the Superior Court to stop an equally boisterous group of wannabes from holding the Taste of Manila festival in August 2023. And while they are at it, they also seek $1.5-million in punitive and other damages against the Johnny-come-lately team.
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NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORG SEEKS INJUNCTION
Suit to Stop Taste of Manila 2023
$1.5-Million in Damages Sought
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
Editor, The Filipino Web Channel
“Pigs should not make friends with butchers. One must choose one's friends wisely.” ― Erik Pevernagie
TORONTO - Even before its rival could start off and make good its exultation as "mas pinalakas, mas pinasaya, mas pinalaking Taste of Manila 2023," the cashiered not-for-profit International Entertainment Company (IEC) has petitioned the Superior Court of Justice to stop a newbie from staging the street festival in August 2023.
An injunction was filed against Rolly Mangante, self-declared founder of Taste of Manila (ToM); his purported company denominated as 5012252 Ontario Inc.; and the Society of Philippine Artists, Recreation and Community (SPARC), according to a press statement released through IEC official Ramon Datol and furnished this reporter.
The court has not indicated when it will consider the petition, but granted or not, it's certain to throw a monkey wrench to the whole affair that SPARC has boasted bagging courtesy of Mangante, aka "kabise," who, insiders say, stands to benefit financially from the arrangement. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4ap92btLM8).
None of the defendants were immediately available for comment. (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-taste-of-manila-in-jeopardy.html).
The press statement says: "The injunction seeks to stop the defendant from continually breaching the contract of IEC and to force the defendants to honour its obligations. IEC is also seeking a total of $1.5-Million for breach of contract and punitive and damages".
IEC, which handled the recent ToM in August, alleged that Mangante had engaged in deception, misrepresentation, and "unlawful action" in contracting IEC to stage ToM for three years starting August 2022 through August 2024. (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/11/questions-arise-on-fate-of-tom-festival.html).
IEC also claimed that Mangante and the company he represented as CEO signed an agreement with SPARC for the 2023 ToM knowing that that festival has already been contracted to IEC.
"The defendant entered into this agreement when they knew that IEC has a valid and subsisting agreement for the upcoming event," the press statement said.
IEC further alleged that "Rolly Mangante deceived IEC when it misrepresented Taste of Manila Inc. as a corporation duly organized by law when the truth is that the corporation Mr. Mangante incorporated is legally named as 501225 Ontario Inc. and registered in law with a trade name of Taste of Manila Production".
IEC headed by events producer Cecille O. Araneta apparently is the sole licensee of ToM for three years as shown by a Licensee and Royalty Agreement she signed with Mangante on March 21, 2022.
Under that agreement, IEC alleges, the company referred to as 5012252 Inc. "misrepresented itself as Taste of Manila, Inc. president/CEO Rolando Mangante". (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd02DO503DU).
SPARC executive director Danilo "Sani" Baluyot told this reporter in October that ToM Inc., in his own words, "offered us a contract for ToM 2023" after holding a series of meetings. He declined to comment on why ToM and or Mangante junked IEC.
It's not clear if the other people behind SPARC, namely, Rosemarie Ami, Lita Mendigoria, and Janelle Bascon, were included in the petition for injunction.
SPARC, which is claimed to be a not-for-profit organization, is a Johnny-come-lately in community events organizing. It has no track record of holding festivals of the magnitude of ToM. (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/11/whats-behind-fast-turnover-of-nfps-at.html). (Copyright 2022. All Rights Reserved).
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