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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider Vic Sotto testifies at cyber libel case hearing vs Darryl Yap

Vic Sotto testifies at cyber libel case hearing vs Darryl Yap

Published Aug 20, 2025 03:26 pm
Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna-Sotto with lawyers Enrique Dela Cruz and Joshy Aguilar (Photo from Enrique Dela Cruz's Facebook account)
Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna-Sotto with lawyers Enrique Dela Cruz and Joshy Aguilar (Photo from Enrique Dela Cruz's Facebook account)

Actor and TV host Vic Sotto testified in a Muntinlupa court on Aug. 19 during the first hearing of a cyber libel case he filed against film director Darryl Yap regarding a teaser of the latter’s controversial film "The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma."

Last Jan. 9, Sotto filed a complaint with the Muntinlupa Prosecutor’s Office for 19 counts of cyber libel against Yap. 

In March, the Muntinlupa City Prosecutor’s Office resolved Sotto’s complaint and filed two counts of cyber libel against Yap for the teaser, which was posted on the Facebook accounts of Yap and VinCentiments. 

Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna-Sotto with Enrique Dela Cruz, Joshy Aguilar, Muntinlupa City Chief Prosecutor Aileen Marie Gutierrez, and Senior Assistant City Posecutor Joseph Belleza (Photo from Enrique Dela Cruz's Facebook account)
Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna-Sotto with Enrique Dela Cruz, Joshy Aguilar, Muntinlupa City Chief Prosecutor Aileen Marie Gutierrez, and Senior Assistant City Posecutor Joseph Belleza (Photo from Enrique Dela Cruz's Facebook account)
Lawyer Enrique Dela Cruz with Vic Sotto, Pauleen Luna-Sotto and lawyer Joshy Aguilar (Photo from Enrique Dela Cruz's Facebook account)
Lawyer Enrique Dela Cruz with Vic Sotto, Pauleen Luna-Sotto and lawyer Joshy Aguilar (Photo from Enrique Dela Cruz's Facebook account)

Sotto was presented as a witness at the trial held at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 203. His wife, Pauleen Luna, was also present at the hearing. 

Yap was arraigned in the case last June 3 and pleaded not guilty. 

The case stemmed from a film trailer for "The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma" released on Jan. 1 in which Sotto was mentioned as the alleged rapist of the late actress Pepsi Paloma. 

In the trailer, actress Charito Solis (played by Gina Alajar) asked Paloma (Rhed Bustamante), "Ipaliwanag mo sa akin! Magsabi ka sa akin! Ipaliwanag mo... Dahil hindi ko naiintindihan! Pepsi sumagot ka! Ni-rape ka ba ni Vic Sotto? (Explain it to me! Tell me! Explain it... Because I don't understand! Pepsi, answer me! Did Vic Sotto rape you?).” 

Paloma shouted, "Oo! (Yes!)."

Sotto is also seeking P20 million in moral damages and P15 million in exemplary damages from Yap. 

"The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma" was not released in the Philippines due to the legal requirements imposed by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

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