Darryl Yap ponders on ‘fate’ of Pepsi Paloma movie after MTRCB notice

Darryl Yap ponders on 'fate' of Pepsi Paloma movie after MTRCB notice

Image: Facebook/Darryl Yap

After the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) issued a clarification stating that the Pepsi Paloma film is not under review yet, movie director Darryl Yap seemed to be pondering on the project’s fate.

Through his Facebook page on Wednesday, Jan. 29, just a few minutes after MTRCB released its notice, Yap shared to the public the letter sent by the regulatory board to the president of Pinoyflix Films and Entertainment Production, his film’s distributor.

In the caption of his post, Yap wrote, “Ang Kapalaran ng ‘The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma.'”

“Narito ang liham ng MTRCB sa aming distributor; nawa’y maipaliwanag ng mga may alam sa batas,” he added in the comments section.

No further remarks on the matter were immediately made by the director and his camp.

In the letter addressed to Jose Olinares, president of Pinoyflix Films and Entertainment Production, the MTRCB requested the company to show proof that there is no pending criminal, civil or administrative complaint related to the file, before the board could proceed with the review of the film.

Pinoyflix is the film distributor.

“Considering the controversies surrounding the aforementioned film, and in view of Section 3(c), Paragraph VII of the Presidential Decree No. 1986 (P.D. No, 1986) which explicitly prohibits the exhibition of materials that pertain to a matter sub judice in nature, the Board, prior to the review of any material related to the said film, hereby request a Certificate/Clearance of No Pending Criminal, Civil, or Administrative Case lodged or filed under the following jurisdiction: Regional Trial Court, Muntinlupa City; Department of Justice, Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila; and Office of the City Prosecutor, Muntinlupa City,” a part of the letter reads.

“We clarify, however, that this is not a prohibition for exhibition nor an outright pre-judgment of the contents of the film, we just need to ensure that there will be no violation of the P.D. No. 1986 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR),” the MTRCB further stated.

When sought for comment, Yap’s lawyer Raymond Fortun said he is not in charge of handling requirements for MTRCB.

Yap faces 19 counts of cyber libel filed by actor-TV host Vic Sotto, whose name was mentioned in the director’s film teaser as an alleged rapist of the late sexy star. The complaint remains pending before the prosecutor’s office of Muntinlupa.

Aside from cyber libel, Sotto also filed a petition for the writ of habeas data which was partially granted by the court. With this, Yap was ordered to take down the film teaser but he was still allowed “to proceed with the production and eventual release of the film.”

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