After a year of brawling, the Court of Appeals has finally put an end relating the rightful ownership of the iconic "Eat Bulaga" trademark.
The appellate court's ninth division upheld the ruling of the Marikina Regional Trial Court Branch 273 favoring Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon's claim of the "Eat Bulaga" name.
The CA maintained that the original decision pertaining to the ownership of the well-liked noontime variety show's title was error-free.
The CA also confirmed that Television and Production Exponents (TAPE) is liable for unfair competition and copyright infringement.
It also ordered TAPE and GMA to refrain from using "Eat Bulaga" and "EB."
It also ordered the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines to cancel TAPE’s trademark registrations for "Eat Bulaga," "EB," and any corresponding logos.
The ruling asserted that "the exclusive right of scientists, inventors, as well as artists and gifted citizens over their intellectual property and creations, must be protected and secured" and that covers Tito, Vic and Joey, and one of EB's creatives Jenny Ferre.
"Awareness of, and compliance with, intellectual property laws is certainly the obligation of all persons, natural or juridical," the CA added.
"To attain the advantages provided by society's scientists, inventors, artists, and other gifted citizens, there must be respect for and enforcement of their rights and one way to carry this through is to guard against unauthorized trespass."
Despite being aware that Joey was responsible for the show's name, the CA claimed that TAPE "resorted to bad faith and fraud" when it asserted ownership of the "Eat Bulaga" trademark in 2011.
CA Associate Justice Zenaida T. Galapate-Laguilles wrote the ruling on December 13, 2023.
Associate Justices Carlito B. Calpatura and Selma Palacio Alaras concurred.
TAPE is set to appeal the court's decision.
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