MANILA – Ovation Productions’ Renen de Guia took to social media to deny rumors that the concert of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter James Taylor was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

In a lengthy Facebook post on Thursday, De Guia described the rumors as “malicious” and asked the people spreading them to be “more considerate.”

He also stressed that the interest level in Taylor’s concert in Manila “was very high.”

“A seating plan layout from ticket seller’s website doesn’t show a full picture,” he explained. “This type of adult contemporary market is starkly different from that of the millennial market in terms of fans’ buying patterns.”

“We were actually on track of selling out,” he added, referring to Taylor’s show. “All indicators said so… for an event two months away, sales were good, the buzz was strong, the market was very enthusiastic, we were getting lots of reservations, also lots of requests for complimentary tickets. Many radio stations and noted bloggers were wanting to be media partners.”

De Guia said they tried to change Taylor’s mind, but the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter “made a political statement.”

“It is indeed unfortunate that James Taylor has decided to cancel. Many of us are fans and we are now reacting just like jilted lovers who just got dumped. It is our defense mechanism at work and we understand. Having known his plan ahead of you, we have had our time to be upset and sort things out, and so will you,” he wrote.

He continued: “Ovation Productions did its part to make him change his mind and in the end, we have to respect his decision as he has his own personal reasons for doing so. We do not engage in any political discussion. We appreciate people sharing their thoughts and registering their strong individual responses. It is time to move on.”

Taylor announced the cancellation of his Manila concert on Wednesday, citing the increasing number of deaths related to President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.

• James Taylor cancels Manila show, cites drug war

He also apologized for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause his fans in the Philippines, and thanked De Guia for his patience and understanding.

Ovation Productions said it will soon make announcements on ticket refunds.