A GAG order has been issued by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 205 prohibiting Vic Sotto and his representatives from publicly discussing a case related to the teaser for the film “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma.”
The order comes at the request of director Darryl Yap, the respondent in Sotto’s petition for a writ of habeas data.
Yap’s legal team argued that their response to the petition includes unreleased film footage and requested the gag order to uphold the sub judice rule, protect Yap’s freedom of expression, and preserve the film’s artistic integrity. The court’s three-page order explicitly prohibits Sotto and his representatives from publicly disclosing or discussing the contents of Yap’s response or any information learned during the proceedings until the case is resolved. Strict confidentiality is mandated for all parties involved.
The court also directed Sotto to respond to Yap’s motion to consolidate this case with 19 counts of cyber libel filed by Sotto against Yap with the Muntinlupa Prosecutor’s Office. Sotto’s camp has declined to comment on the gag order.
Sotto’s original petition sought to compel Yap to remove all promotional materials, teasers, and other content featuring Sotto’s personal information. He also requested a court order preventing further dissemination of such materials. The court clarified that while the writ of habeas data was granted, it only required Yap to submit a response, not necessarily grant the full relief sought by Sotto. Attorney Enrique Dela Cruz, Sotto’s lawyer, previously stated that a temporary writ had been issued leading to the mistaken belief that Yap’s content had already been removed.
The court has rescheduled the hearing for January 17, 2025.
