Court issues gag order on Vic Sotto and Darryl Yap case.
TV host-actor Vic Sotto filed a case against director Darryl Yap and recently, the court issued a gag order granting the latter’s petition.
The veteran actor-TV host has filed a gag order against the Pepsi Paloma director Darryl Yap. This was after the director shared a teaser where Sotto’s name was clearly mentioned to have done something wrong with the late actress.
Sotto filed a case against Yap – 19 counts of cyber libel which amounts to Php 35 million in total damages.
Following the cyber libel complaints, Yap requested the court to issue a gag order. This prevents both parties from speaking about the pending case in any manner.
The request stated, “Further considering that the verified return shall involve an unreleased film by a prominent director, any disclosure of the verified return would not only violate the Respondent’s freedom of expression, but it shall also cause grave and irreparable damage to the Respondent’s artistic license and outcome of the film.”
Yap’s urgent motion for issuance of a gag order was filed last January 10 and recently, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 granted this motion.
Based on the Omnibus Order released on Monday, all parties are ordered not to publicly speak or discuss the pending case “as well as any matters learned from the proceedings of this case”.
They are directed “to observe strict confidentiality in compliance with the sub judice rule” to ensure that proceedings and any related matters remain undisclosed until it is resolved.
“The lawyers’s statements may cause to misrepresent the court’s orders and could prejudice public perception. Ultimately, the court’s priority would be to protect the fair administration of justice and prevent undue influence on the judicial processes,” the order read.
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