Darryl Yap asks Muntinlupa court to consolidate cases filed by Vic Sotto

The camp of director Darryl Yap on Monday asked a Muntinlupa regional trial court (RTC) to consolidate the cases filed against him over his teaser for the movie “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma.” 

Yap is the respondent in a petition for a writ of habeas data filed by actor and host Vic Sotto before the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205. 

Sotto later filed 19 counts of cyberlibel against Yap before the Office of the Prosecutor (OCP) in Muntinlupa. 

“By filing a complaint-affidavit… before OCP Muntinlupa pertaining to the same parties, screenshots, and subject matter in the instant case, this Honorable Court has no other recourse but to forward this case to the OCP Muntinlupa for purposes of consolidation with the criminal actions for cyberlibel filed by petitioner,” the motion for immediate consolidation read.

It was filed before the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205.

Aside from consolidating the cases, Yap’s camp also asked the court to cancel the hearing on January 15 for the petition on the issuance of a writ.

In his petition for the issuance of a writ, Sotto asked the court to compel Yap to remove and take down all promotional materials, teaser video, and other content relative to the film, which depict Sotto’s personal information. He also asked the court to prohibit Yap from further disseminating any materials relative to the film on all platforms.

The teaser for the film, released on January 1, mentioned Sotto’s name and accused him of rape.

Sotto said that no one from the movie production consulted him, a claim that Yap’s camp contested. 

Yap’s lawyer, Atty. Raymond Fortun, said his client sent Sotto a copy of the script ahead of the teaser’s release so Sotto can give comments about it.

kampo ni Darryl Yap naghain ng Motion for Immediate Consolidation and Motion to Cancel the 15 Jan 2025 hearing sa Muntinlupa RTC branch 205 kaugnay ng hinaing petition for writ of habeas data at reklamong cyber libel ng kampo ni Vic Sotto @gmanews pic.twitter.com/tGzXW1PD5K

— Bernadette Reyes (@bernadettereyes) January 13, 2025

— LA, GMA Integrated News