Darryl Yap/Facebook 

MANILA, Philippines – Shortly after comedian Vic Sotto filed criminal charges against him, controversial filmmaker Darry Yap released a statement still firmly defending his film and its story. 

Sotto, who has been deliberately linked to the rape of ‘80s starlet Pepsi Paloma in the film teaser of “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma,” filed 19 counts of cyber libel against Yap. 

His petition for Writ of Habeas Data was also granted by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) ordering Yap to stop publication and take down all promotional materials for the film. The 38-year-old director was also ordered to submit a verified return of the writ within five days from receipt.

In a Facebook post on Thursday (January 9), Yap said his camp indeed will submit a reply once they receive a copy of the complaint. He maintained that the movie is based on truth. 

“Agad naman po naming sasagutin ang reklamo kapag nakarating na po sa amin; ang akin lamang, ang lahat po ng materyal na aking nilabas o ilalabas ay naka dokumento – hindi ko po gawa gawa para makapanira,” Yap said. 

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

He also doesn’t harbor bitterness with the cases filed against him by Sotto since anyone is free to press charges just like what Paloma did to Sotto during the ‘80s. 

“Maluwag po sa aking kalooban tanggapin ang isinampang kaso ni Vic Sotto – Malaya naman po ang kahit sino na magsampa ng kaso gaya po ng naisampang rape case noon ni Pepsi Paloma labas sa kanya na siya pong natatanging laman ng teaser,” he said. 

Screen grab from Darryl Yap Facebook

Yap also denied that the movie title is pertaining to Sotto despite him being deliberately named as the one who raped Paloma in the teaser. 

“Wala po akong sinasabing si Vic Sotto ang pinatutungkulan ng Title ng Pelikula – sila lang po ang nagsabi niyan,” Yap said. 

Screen grab from Darryl Yap Facebook

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