Ian Veneracion’s camp eyes legal action vs writer-director

Ian Veneracion emerged as the winner of INQUIRER.net’s Valentine poll. Image: Instagram/@ianveneracion1

The camp of Ian Veneracion categorically denied the claim made by Ronaldo Carballo regarding the actor’s supposed half-a-million talent fee, saying it is “exploring legal options” against the writer-director for online defamation.

In a statement sent exclusively to INQUIRER.net, Veneracion‘s management labelled Carballo’s post as malicious, and was an attempt to publicly humiliate the actor — “values of integrity in journalism and the importance of presenting a balanced narrative.”

“Rather than verifying the information (on Veneracion’s talent fee), Mr. Carballo appears to have engaged in online behavior that undermines these principles, in an attempt to publicly humiliate our client and our team. Considering these developments, we are exploring legal options to address the online defamation by Mr. Carballo,” the statement read.

Veneracion’s management further said that it follows a “strict policy of confidentiality and transparency,” which it said was a must in all business dealings. Carballo, however, violated this in his Facebook post on Tuesday, Jan. 16 after accusing the actor of asking for a P500,000-talent fee, according to the actor’s camp.

“In managing our client’s professional engagements, we maintain a strict policy of confidentiality in all business dealings, ensuring transparency and respect both with clients and artists,” it continued.

Veneracion’s team also acknowledged that while a “standard rate and availability” is a must in certain appearances, the details provided on Carballo’s claim have “inaccuracies” because the “reported budget mentioned in the post was not consistent with our discussions.”

“Contrary to the claims, we did not request any additional charges. Our terms were clear, especially regarding the hours required for the event, and at no point did we ask for a solo float,” the statement further read.

“For this particular event, our communication was with a friend of the coordinator, adding multiple layers to the negotiation process. This is not the typical direct line of communication we usually have with clients or their immediate representatives,” it added.

Blocking attempts, lowballing

Despite the efforts of Veneracion’s team to “correct the misinformation,” it said Carballo attempted to block them on social media and “refuse any means” of possible communication. “Attempts were made to contact Mr. Carballo directly to correct the misinformation he is spreading; unfortunately, he opted to block us and refuse any means of communication.”

A screenshot of a conversation between Ian Veneracion’s team and writer-director Ronaldo Carballo. Image: Courtesy of Ian Veneracion’s management

This, apart from the “online defamation,” became a reason for Veneracion’s team to eye possible legal actions against the writer-director.

“In our business dealings, we acknowledge that negotiations are a standard practice and are open to discussions with professionals across various fields, be it artists, graphic designers, editors, or others. However, it’s crucial to approach these negotiations with respect and professionalism,” it said.

“The reaction to the rate, whether perceived as too high or too low, should be handled appropriately. Professional rates are set based on a myriad of factors, including experience, expertise, and market standards,” it added. “It is disheartening when these rates are met with attempts to undervalue the professional’s worth through lowballing.”

The actor’s team also stressed that “mutually agreeable terms” are made in business dealings, while noting that it shouldn’t be an attempt to besmirch a “professional’s value.”

“We stand firm in respecting the rates set by professionals and encourage others to approach such discussions with fairness and respect,” Veneracion’s team added.

INQUIRER.net also tried to reach Carballo for his reaction, but he has yet to give his comment as of writing. His Facebook Messenger appeared to have disabled new message requests.