Rhed Bustamante as Pepsi Paloma; Darryl Yap. Image: Facebook/Darryl Yap
Darryl Yap announced that his controversial film “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma” will postpone its premiere on February 5 after his production team failed to meet the requirements set by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) before screening.
On Facebook on Monday, February 3, the writer-director said it would be impossible for the movie to be released on its target date.
“Ipinapaabot ko sa lahat ng nakasubaybay na bigo po ang panig ng inyong lingkod na agarang makumpleto ang mga dokumentong hinihingi ng mga pamunuan ng MTRCB. Kaya’t imposible pong maipalabas sa mga sinehan ang ating pelikula sa February 5,” he said.
(I want to inform the public that I failed to urgently complete the documents required for submission to the MTRCB. This means that it would be impossible for me to have the movie be released on February 5.)
Yap said he is thinking of whether to bring the movie to cinemas abroad, or would instead shift to releasing the movie to streaming platforms.
“Pinag-iisipan na rin ang posibilidad na maunang maipalabas ito sa labas ng bansa o ipagpaliban muna na ang pagpapalabas sa sinehan at magpokus na lamang sa streaming platforms,” he said. “Kung anu’t anuman ay agad itong malalaman ng publiko. Maraming salamat po.”
(I’m thinking about the possibility of bringing the film to cinemas abroad or to postpone its theatrical release, and focus on making it available on streaming platforms instead. The public will be the first to know my decision. Thank you very much.)
Yap further said: “Natanggal man ang tansan, nananatili ang iyong ispirito (The softdrinks cap may have been removed, but your spirit lives on).”
The postponement was announced on the heels of the MTRCB’s refusal to conduct a review without the submission of proof that the movie has no pending criminal, civil or administrative litigation.
It would be recalled that Yap was charged as respondent in a habeas data petition filed by Vic Sotto before the Muntinlupa regional trial court in connection with the movie’s teaser video which showed its lead star Rhed Bustamante seemingly pointing to the veteran actor-host as one of the rapists of the late 1980s sexy star.