TULUYAN nang pinalagan ng showbiz radio anchor na si Jobert Sucaldito ang indefinite suspension na ipinataw sa kanya ng pamunuan ng DZMM.
Nagsampa na siya ng kasong illegal dismissal as his legal counsel Atty. Ferdie Topacio deemed it as tantamount to kicking his client out of ABS-CBN’s radio arm.
Maraming dahilan ang inilatag ni Jobert kung bakit napaka-harsh ng desisyon sa kanya failing to take into account his years of service with the company.
Just a bit of history.
Kakontemporaryo namin si Jobert bilang isa sa mga pioneer creative staff ng Startalk noong 1995. Noong lumipat ang pioneer host nitong si (Kuya) Boy Abunda sa ABS-CBN, Jobert opted to come along while we chose to stay kahit in-assure kami ni Kuya Boy that he’d be able to recommend us to be part of Ces Drilon’s program.
Nagbunga naman ang desisyon ni Jobert (who had gone full circle dahil minsan din siyang naging kunektado with then-ABC 5). Ikaw na ang ma-identify as Kuya Boy’s ally, Jobert couldn’t have gone wrong.
Ang suspension ni Jobert na may kinalaman sa kanyang opinyon tungkol kay Nadine Lustre on air ang nagsilbing mitsa nito, bagay na inihingi rin ni Jobert ng paumanhin later (we understand).
Kung hindi kami nagkakamali ay pangalawang suspension na ‘yon, the first having to do with his case against Erik Santos and the latter’s management office.
Kung tutuusin din, ‘di hamak na mas matindi ang una kumpara to that of Nadine, but Jobert had to face the music.
Nakaaalarma ang bagong suspension as it is feared to be beyond resolve. Kumbaga, it seems to be the end of the road, thus leaving Jobert with no other recourse to go legal.
Nagkataon pang kaibigan niya si Atty. Ferdinand Topacio who’s practically dear to the press.
Alam nating lahat kung ano ang kalagayan ngayon ng beleaguered TV station, on tenterhooks pending the renewal of its franchise which rests on the hands of the Lower House.
Naatasan na ang NTC ng Senado na pagkalooban ng provisional permit to operate ang istasyon, kaya kahit tumambling pa si Atty. Larry Gadon na talunan sa pagkasenador ay wala itong magagawa.
For now, it’s premature to say that ABS-CBN can rest on its laurels.
Lalo itong kailangang magpakabait as did its executives noong humarap sa ipinatawag na Senate inquiry. The bosses’ display of calmness amidst the gripping tension was simply admirable.
Feeling namin—just that—DZMM will eventually soften on Jobert. Hindi pa man nag-uumpisa ang court battle, we are reminded of the fate na nangyari kay Jay Sonza who won the case versus ABS-CBN to think na 10 taon lang siyang naglingkod doon vis a vis Jobert’s more than 20 years as a contractual talent.
Malaki-laki rin ang nakuha ni Jay bilang danyos, aside from the string of opportunities which he had enjoyed coming pagkatapos nu’n.
Who knows, this might just be the same direction kung saan patungo si Jobert most especially given the present state of the network which cannot afford to shame itself?
Kung kilala namin ang likaw ng bituka ni Jobert, he’s the type who’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. Kaya nga niyang ibenta ang Pasig River, ‘no!