MANILA, Philippines — More than a year after the high-profile legal battle between TVJ Productions—comedic trio and now Senator-elect Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon—and TAPE Inc., the Jalosjos family is now facing new legal trouble.
On Wednesday, May 22, GMA Network, Inc. confirmed that it has filed an estafa case with abuse of confidence against Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE Inc.), the former producer of the noontime show “Tahanang Pinakamasaya.”
In its statement, GMA named several respondents, including convicted child rapist and former lawmaker Romeo Jalosjos Sr., his sons Romeo Jalosjos Jr. and Seth Frederick Jalosjos, and former TAPE executive Malou Choa-Fagar.
According to the Kapuso Network, the case stemmed from TAPE Inc.’s failure to settle a debt amounting to ₱37,941,352.56—nearly ₱38 million—under a contract signed with GMA Network in 2023.
📷: GMA Network
The financial woes of TAPE Inc. escalated after the company suffered from dismal ratings and low advertising revenue, eventually leading to the shutdown of “Tahanang Pinakamasaya.”
The show struggled after being forced to rebrand and drop the “Eat… Bulaga!” name, theme song, and segments, following a court decision in favor of TVJ Productions.
As of this writing, TAPE Inc. has not issued a statement regarding the case.