Vic Sotto lawyer Enrique dela Cruz Jr. Photo:RepublikaNews/Izel Abanilla

MANILA, Philippines – The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) has granted comedian Vic Sotto’s Writ of Habeas Data petition ordering the removal of all promotional material related to the actor and the advertisement of the controversial movie teaser for “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma.” 

Sotto earlier today filed 19 counts of cyber libel against Yap over the “defamatory” mention of his name in the movie teaser. Two days prior, a Writ of Habeas Data was filed by the former’s camp which the court granted ordering Yap to submit his answer within five days. 

“In the meantime, po, the writ was issued, so ibig sabihin po ‘yung hinihiling namin sa writ granted. Ititigil po muna lahat nung mga postings, etc.; in the meantime, pinapasagot siya [Yap] dun sa aming reklamo,” lawyer Enrique dela Cruz Jr. told the media. 

Writ of Habeas Data. Photo: Republika News / Izel Abanilla

Sotto said nobody ever approached to get his side of the story and this was the basis for the filing of the Writ of Habeas Data. 

‘Yun po ang naging basehan bakit kami nag-file ng writ of habeas data dahil walang consent at sa ilalim ng data privacy act, hindi mo pwede i-collect, i-process, i-share i-disclose ng walang pahintulot ng data subject,” Dela Cruz said.  

The basis for the filing of charges was the teaser that deliberately mentioned the actor’s name being tagged as the one who allegedly raped Paloma. 

‘Yung habeas data ang aming layunin sana ay mapigilan [posting] kaya hinihintay namin na mailabas ‘yung order ng court at kung hindi sila susunod korte na ang magpaparusa sa kanila,” Dela Cruz said. 

Criminal case 

Yap, being the director and the publisher of the “defamatory” teaser, is the only one charged criminally. 

“19 counts po ng cyberlibel. Labing siyam na beses po na nagpahayag o nagpost ng mapanirang invitation ‘yung respondent kaya po 19 counts. Bawat post na mapanira ay isang count,” Dela Cruz said. 

“Ang case po natin ay cyber libel, anyone who caused the publication so siya po ang sinasabi naming nag-cause ng publication ng publication nung mga malicious and defamatory statements,” Dela Cruz said. 

Summary hearing for the case with start on January 15 at 8 a.m. 

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Vic Sotto slaps Darryl Yap with 19 counts of cyber libel over Pepsi Paloma film teaser