Darryl Yap addresses cyberlibel case filed by Vic Sotto over Pepsi Paloma teaser

Darryl Yap has released a statement after Vic Sotto filed 19 counts of cyberlibel against him on Thursday over the release of a teaser for his film about the late actress Pepsi Paloma, which mentioned and accused Sotto of rape.

According to the director, he welcomes the complaint that Sotto filed against him and that his camp will immediately answer the complaint once it reaches them.

"Ang sa akin lamang, lahat po ng materyal na aking inilabas o ilalabas ay nakadokumento—hindi ko po gawa-gawa para makapanira," he said in a statement.

"Wala pong personalan, naglalahad lamang po ako ng nangyari sa nakaraan na makikita sa mga nailathala noong 1980s. Naisapubliko naman po iyon."

He also claimed that the teaser's caption included the information that the alleged rape case Paloma filed against Sotto was withdrawn.

"Malaya naman po ang kahit na sino magsampa ng kaso—gaya po ng naisampang rape case noon ni Pepsi Paloma laban sa kanya na siya pong natatanging laman ng teaser. Nasa caption din po ng post na inurong ang kaso," said Yap. 

"Hindi po tayo nagkulang. Mahalagang mapanood muna nila ang buong pelikula."

On Thursday, Sotto said in an interview that no one from the film production consulted him.

Meanwhile, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 205 has temporarily issued a writ of habeas data filed on Monday by Sotto. 

It reportedly prohibited Yap and his representatives from further distributing promotional content for the film. Moreover, it ordered him to take down all materials that have been posted on social media and prohibited the sharing of these posts.

The RTC also ordered Yap to appear for the summary hearing of the petition for a writ of habeas data on January 15.

— CDC, GMA Integrated News