Television and Production Exponents (TAPE) Incorporated was ordered by the Marikina City Regional Trial Court to pay a hefty amount of money for using the Eat Bulaga trademark illegally.
According to the decision of the court on the copyright infringement charges filed by Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon, and Jeny Ferre against TAPE Inc. and GMA Network, the former production company handled the ‘Dabarkads’ should pay a total of P3,000,000 to the plaintiffs; P2,000,000 for the temperate damages, P500,000 for exemplary damages, and an Attorney’s Fee of P500,000.
They’re also not allowed to use Eat Bulaga title, jingle, or even air playback of the past episodes of the longest-running noontime show.
It can be recalled that TVJ filed several complaints against TAPE after the company insisted that they were the rightful owner of Eat Bulaga despite the popular belief that Joey was the one who coined it.
In a separate decision published by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), TAPE failed to prove that they invented Eat Bulaga, resulting in them losing the trademark ownership of the title.
As of writing, TAPE Inc. and GMA Network have yet to release a statement following the release of the decision against them.