A leadership dispute within the Lopez family has escalated into a legal battle, with Federico “Piki” Lopez securing a court order blocking his removal as Chairman and CEO of Lopez Holdings Corporation.

The conflict centers on a boardroom decision led by former ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez II I and allied family members to replace Piki Lopez following disagreements over financial support for ABS-CBN Corporation.

Last Thursday, 26 March, Piki Lopez secured a writ of preliminary injunction from the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court preventing his removal as president of Lopez Inc.

According to court filings, Piki Lopez was ousted during a 27 February 2026 board meeting, prompting him to file a case before the Mandaluyong RTC seeking reinstatement. The court initially issued a temporary restraining order and later a preliminary injunction, effectively blocking his removal while the case is pending.

At the heart of the dispute is Piki Lopez’s alleged refusal to approve a proposed P2-billion capital infusion from Lopez Inc. into ABS-CBN, which has been facing financial strain. He cited concerns over the use of funds, including unresolved audit issues and the potential allocation of capital toward executive payouts rather than addressing core losses.

The opposing faction, led by Gabby Lopez and other board members, reportedly pushed for the funding to support the media company’s recovery, highlighting internal divisions over how to stabilize the group’s legacy business.

The dispute underscores broader challenges confronting ABS-CBN, which has struggled since the non-renewal of its broadcast franchise in 2020, forcing it to shut down free-to-air operations and significantly reshape its business model. 

The leadership clash also marks a rare public rift within one of the Philippines’ most prominent business families, whose holdings span energy, infrastructure and media through entities such as Lopez Holdings, First Philippine Holdings and First Gen. Piki Lopez currently serves as chair of the latter two.