Nilinaw ng chairman ng TV5 na si Manny V. Pangilinan, o MVP, ang report na magkakaroon na ng "merger" sa pagitan ng Kapatid network at ng GMA-7.

Lumabas sa kolum ni Ricky Lo sa Philippine Star kaninang hatinggabi, June 4, ang report na tuloy na raw ang pagsasanib-puwersa ng TV5 at GMA-7.

Ayon sa scoop ng kolumnista, si MVP daw mismo ang nag-anunsiyo nito sa San Francisco.

"As The STAR reported in a scoop a few issues ago, the Kapatid Network TV5 and Kapuso Network GMA have merged, a landmark development to be formally launched end of November.

"This was virtually confirmed by Kapatid big boss Manny V. Pangilinan, during the presscon last Saturday in San Francisco where a partnership between TV5 and Dish Network was formally signed, called Dish Ko ’To, promoting the combined channels of GMA Pinoy TV and Kapatid TV5. Dish is the leading provider of satellite television in the US."

Nagpunta ng Los Angeles si MVP para sa launching ng Kapatid network sa U.S.

Ngunit sa text message na ipinadala ni MVP sa Kapatid TV host na si Arnell Ignacio, nilinaw niya na ang tanging sinabi niya ay suportahan ang TV5 doon sa States, at maging ang GMA-7.

Ito ay dahil dinadala rin ng Dish ang Kapuso network.

Diin ni MVP, wala siyang binanggit na "merger investment" at "combination."

Wala rin daw siyang binanggit na "November deadline" o anumang deadline.

Dagdag pa ng chairman ng TV5, "Sure some people speculated and all i said was I can now say we, re under discussion but nothing finalized at this time."

Narito ang kabuuang text message ni MVP kay Arnell Ignacio na nakarating sa PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal):

" you know arnel, all I said was-please support TV5 here in the States. And by the way, pls support GMA7 too (since Dish carries GMA), That was all. No mention of merger investment, combination. Certainly no mention of November deadline or any deadline at all. Suresome people speculated and all i said was I can now say we, re under discussion but nothing finalized at this time."

GMA-7 STATEMENT. Samantala, sa statement na ipinadala ng GMA Network—sa pamamagitan ng Corporate Communications consultant na si Mr. Butch Raquel—ay sinabi nilang wala sila sa posisyon na magbigay ng komento kaugnay ng artikulong lumabas sa Philippine Star dahil hindi naman daw sila ang source ng impormasyong ito.

Narito ang kabuuang statement ng Kapuso network na ipinadala sa PEP sa pamamagitan ng e-mail ngayong tanghali, June 4: