Despite Paloma teaser take down order, Darryl Yap thankful for court’s theatrical screening permission

Darryl Yap / Facebook

MANILA, Philippines – Filmmaker Darryl Yap is thankful for the court’s permission for the theatrical release of his Pepsi Paloma film despite the take down order for its teaser video.

Still under the effect of a gag order, Yap wrote a brief message of gratitude on his Facebook to thank the court for allowing the movie a big screen debut.

“Hindi pa rin po ako maaaring magbigay ng tuwirang pahayag sa usaping legal ngunit nais ko pong ipaabot ang aking pasasalamat sa mga nagpapahayag ng kanilang suporta at nananalangin para sa kapakanan ng pelikula,” he said.

“Dahil po sa inyong dasal at pagsubaybay, Itinuturing po naming mahalagang balita ang pagkakaroon natin ng legal na pahintulot upang maipalabas ang ating pelikula,” he said.

The production’s next step is to submit the movie to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board for evaluation. He promised to follow its rules.

“Next step naman po namin ay magpareview sa MTRCB, susunod po tayo sa mga pamantayan kahit gaano ito kabusisi. Maghintay lamang po tayo,” he said.

He however clarified that international screenings are just secondary for now because their priority is the local screening of the movie.

Sa mga kababayan ko sa abroad na nagnanais na bilhin at ipalabas ang #TROPP sa USA, JAPAN, HK, EUROPE atbp., yan po ay sekondarya lamang sa aming isip sa ngayon, sapagkat prayoridad po ang pagpapalabas sa Pilipinas at sa mga kausap nang streaming platform, gayunpaman, Maraming Salamat po sa pagpapahalaga, darating din po tayo dyan.

The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court has granted comedian Vic Sotto’s Writ of Habeas Data petition ordering Yap and everyone working for and on his behalf to take down the teaser video of the film where the actor was mentioned as the attacker of the late actress.

Sotto filed 19 counts of cyber libel cases against Yap for violating privacy in the “defamatory” mention of his name.