Civil complaint filed vs Elias J. TV Band manager
KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews / 8 August) — Claiming fraud, retaliation, and loss of control over their career, reggae artist Elias G. Lintucan Jr., known as Elias J. TV, and 12 members of his band filed a civil case Tuesday against their manager, Beverly Pumicpic Labadlabad, seeking to void their management agreement and stop her from acting on their behalf.
Filed before the Regional Trial Court here on August 7, the complaint asks the court to nullify or cancel the Artist Management Agreements signed in April 2025.
It also seeks an accounting of funds, payment of damages and attorney’s fees, and a temporary restraining order (TRO) and/or preliminary injunction to stop Labadlabad from representing or interfering with the band while the case is pending.
“When you sign a contract with a very well-known artist, there are three elements: cause, object, and consideration. There was no consideration, so we feel there was no contract at all,” said lawyer Bobbet Torreon, counsel for Lintucan.
The legal action came after Labadlabad’s public assertion of exclusive control over the group’s business dealings.
On August 5, Labadlabad, through her legal counsel at Topacio Law Office, issued a public “Notice and Warning” via Facebook, asserting herself as the sole and exclusive talent and business manager of Lintucan.
The statement warned that any individual or entity transacting with the band without her consent may be held civilly and criminally liable for tortious interference with contracts.
A day later, she and her legal team held a press conference at the Century Park Hotel in Manila to reiterate her legal claim and warned of possible action against Elias, his supporters, and anyone engaging with the band without her knowledge.
“Sumunod sa kontrata, walang problema. Ngunit ‘pag hindi sumunod sa kontrata, d’on na magsisimula ang [maraming] problema,” said lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Labadlabad’s counsel.
“And I assure you, he will have a lot of problems,” he added
In their complaint, the band alleged the contracts were signed under “highly irregular circumstances,” citing lack of consideration, fraudulent inducement, abuse of informed consent, and incomplete provisions.
A 30% commission clause, they claimed, was inserted after signing.
They further accused Labadlabad of exercising unilateral control over the band’s income, bookings, branding, and digital assets without transparency.
The complaint described what the band considered retaliatory acts — including the dismissal of core members via memos, imposition of ₱50,000 fines, and interference in Elias’s personal life.
They also cited travel arrangements that allegedly placed the group at risk or left them too exhausted to perform.
They described the lawsuit as necessary to protect their careers and artistic autonomy.
As of this report, the court has yet to act on the TRO request, and no hearing date has been set.
Labadlabad has not released a new statement following the filing but has previously asserted that the contract remains valid and enforceable.
Gaining a following for their dynamic live shows and music that fuses reggae, island pop, and Bisaya influences, Elias J. TV Band had been building momentum in the independent music scene, with growing national exposure and a strong regional fan base across South Central Mindanao.
The band said they are willing to honor valid commitments made before the falling-out, provided payments are deposited with the court. (Guia Rebollido/MindaNews)
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