The hashtag #IStandWithNadine is currently trending on social media with Viva Artists Agency (VAA) filing before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC RTC) Dec. 11, a lawsuit against actress-singer Nadine Lustre.
The news was confirmed by ABS-CBN, sharing on Twitter a statement sent by VAA, which claimed that Nadine remains part of their exclusive roster of artists until 2029.
"The lawsuit was filed because early this year, Nadine violated her valid and existing 'agency and management contract,'" the tweet read.
Nadine officially left Viva, her talent agency for several years, last January, announcing it through a statement released by the Kapunan & Castillo Law Offices.
“Consistent with her rights under the Civil Code of the Philippines, specifically Article 1920, she has decided to terminate her agency contract with Viva,” the statement read.
In there, Nadine said she will be “self-managed and will continue to be so indefinitely.”
In an article published on ABS-CBN, Kapunan declared that they "welcome" VAA's "complaint" against their client, expressing confidence that the "truth will come out" about VAA being "predatory, oppressive and abusive not only of Nadine but its many other talents."
She also refuted allegations that Nadine "violated" her contract with the company.
According to Lorna the contract is an agency contract and Nadine as the principal has the right to terminate it if she feels the agent is not performing its commitment under the agreement.
“We are prepared to prove VAA’s material breach of the contract. We are likewise prepared to show that VAA is guilty of tortuous third party interference by its threatening/ pressuring third parties dealing with Nadine in good faith and scaring them with potential court cases.”
“Nadine is now self-managing which she has every right to do especially during this difficult pandemic,” she added. “It is her prerogative to continue to earn without VVA getting an unconscionable amount in agency fees which it does not deserve. This is not Nadine’s fight alone it is for all talents/artists who are similarly situated.”