A Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) has denied director Darryl Yap’s motion to consolidate two legal actions filed by actor Vic Sotto against him. The dispute stems from the teaser for Yap’s controversial film, The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma, which mentioned Sotto’s name and accused him of rape.
In a four-page order, the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 ruled that the petition for a writ of habeas data filed by Sotto and the 19 counts of cyberlibel against Yap before the Muntinlupa Office of the Prosecutor (OCP) cannot be consolidated.
Court’s Justification
The court explained that consolidation is only appropriate if the actions share common legal or factual issues and are pending before the same forum.
“The Motion for Immediate Consolidation is devoid of merit. The two legal actions are inherently distinct in nature, purpose, jurisdiction, and procedure,” the court stated.
It added that while the cases involve overlapping circumstances, the legal issues and relief sought in each case differ. As such, the cases must proceed independently within their respective jurisdictions.
Hearing to Proceed as Scheduled
The court also confirmed that the hearing for the habeas data petition will proceed on January 17. It had previously canceled the January 15 hearing while resolving Yap’s motion for consolidation.
Additionally, the court denied Sotto’s motion to issue a show cause order against Yap.
Background on the Dispute
The teaser for Yap’s film accused Sotto of being involved in the alleged rape of Pepsi Paloma, a case that remains a sensitive and disputed topic in Philippine entertainment history. Sotto has denied the allegations and claimed that he was not consulted about the film.
Yap’s legal team, however, argued that a copy of the film’s script was sent to Sotto for his comments before the teaser’s release.
Both parties have declined to comment further on the ongoing legal proceedings.