The network that put Willie into the limelight is now his worst opponent that resulted to royal battle between royal networks. Their feud has been all over the tabloids and people seem not to take side on Willie because of his arrogant attitude. The success of “Wowowee” made Revillame wealthy that he mishandled. Being a mere sidekick, he bought the yacht and mansion of his former bosses, as well as a fleet of expensive cars. He tried to cope up with the status symbol as part of his image. No one from the Kapamilya employees had been as dominant and as ungrateful as him. The monster that ABS created was devouring the hands of the one who feed him.
Wowowee’s camp, lead by Willie Revillame filed a motion to further delay the court proceeding on the P127 Million law suit filed against them by ABS-CBN. The top TV network, Kapamilya has applied a TRO (temporary restraining order) to TV5 program, “Willing Willie” on airing and subsequently, the defendant’s counsel, Revillame’s, Wil Productions and ABC 5 have countered a petition for certiorari at the Court of Appeals, President Ray Espinosa of ABC5 has confirmed. Their court encounter causes a hullabaloo that is more entertaining than the “abangan ang susunod na kabanata” shows.
Criticizing the Makati RTC of being gravely abusing discretion after continually denying the motion they submitted. Hence, as judicial courtesy they stated, Judge Villarosa, should have waited for the Court of Appeal’s decision prior to TRO hearing. They submitted diversity of motions, motion to dismiss case, motion to inhibit against the presiding judge, motion to suspend the TRO and motion to drop Espinosa as one of the defendants. However, it was finally agreed between two parties, that the TRO be continued, but vowed to recognize the pending motions in making a resolution on the said TRO, as ruled by Judge Villarosa.
Evidences of the said infringement committed by Revillame and company as specified by the written complaint of ABS-CBN were:
- They use the same audiovisual comparisons of Willing Willie and Wowowee, will be testified by Marilou Almaden, the ABS-CBN Business Unit Head for game shows
- The opening songs that are sung on the said show and the dance number lead by the host are similar
- The trivia games of the show, wherein participants share their own experience and display their own talent before being ask to play the game
- The design and arrangement of the set and stage used are the same
- The seating arrangements of the studio viewers are similar
- The lightings set up, music and angles of the camera of Willing Willie are the same to Wowowee
Thus, the implementation and the appearance of all elements mentioned above are in a way alike to that of Wowowee of ABS-CBN, giving confusion that appears to be of comparison to the latter show and therefore said to be a perfect ground of copyright infringement claim, ABS-CBN spokesperson, Atty. Bienvenido Somera Jr. has said.
