QUESTIONS surfaced online this week following reports about ABS-CBN’s departure from TV5, with some netizens speculating whether MediaQuest Holdings chair Manuel V. Pangilinan was aware that the document he signed reportedly formalized the network’s exit.
Online claims suggested Pangilinan may have initially believed the document was related to routine collections or internal matters. However, this narrative was challenged in a post by Tele News, which pointed out that major corporate decisions typically go through established business protocols before any official action or statement is made public.
According to the post, it would be unlikely for such a decision to proceed without the knowledge of the company’s top leadership. It also noted that collection notices are generally handled by corporate or communications officers, not by the chairman himself.
Following ABS-CBN’s departure, TV5 adjusted its programming lineup. Action series “Totoy Bato” took over the time slot previously occupied by “Batang Quiapo,” with early ratings reportedly reflecting the impact of the sudden programming shift.
Meanwhile, industry chatter also pointed to the performance of “Manila’s Finest,” a project produced by TV5 and MediaQuest and starring Piolo Pascual and Enrique Gil. The film reportedly placed seventh in unofficial Metro Manila Film Festival box office rankings, with online discussions noting that it struggled to recover its production costs.
Amid these developments, reports circulated that Pangilinan called for an emergency meeting on Jan. 17, 2026, though no official statement has been released detailing the agenda or outcomes of the meeting.
As of posting, neither TV5 nor MediaQuest has issued a formal clarification addressing the online claims. / TRC