TV host and actor Vic Sotto filed 19 counts of cyber libel against director Darryl Yap over the trailer of his upcoming film "The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma" on Jan. 9.
Accompanied by his wife, Pauleen, Vic personally went to the Muntinlupa Prosecutor’s Office to file the complaint for violation of Republic Act 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012) in relation to libel under the Revised Penal Code against Yap.
Yap is the director and writer of “The Rapist of Pepsi Paloma,” which is scheduled to be shown in February.
Ahead of the release of the film, a trailer of the film was released that mentioned the name of Sotto.
The film stars Rhed Bustamante as Paloma, Gina Alajar as actress Charito Solis, Mon Confiado as Paloma’s manager Rey dela Cruz, Rosanna Roces as Divina Valencia, Andres Balano Jr. as Richie D'Horsie, and Shamaine Buencamino as Lydia Duena Whitley, Paloma’s mother.
Paloma (real name Delia Dueñas Smith) was an actress and part of the Softdrinks Beauties in the 1980s. She passed away in 1985.
TV host Vic Sotto (right) and his wife, Pauleen Luna-Sotto, arrive at the Muntinlupa City Hall of Justice on Jan. 9 for the filing of a complaint against director Darryl Yap (Jonathan Hicap)
The Muntinlupa City Hall of Justice (Jonathan Hicap)
TV host and actor Vic Sotto (Jonathan Hicap)
Posters for the film "The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma" (Photos from Darryl Yap's Facebook account)
The complaint filed by Vic Sotto against director Darryl Yap (Jonathan Hicap)
In the complaint, Sotto said, “Due to the malicious and defamatory posts made by respondents, I have been subjected and continue to be subjected to public ridicule and contempt.”
“The social humiliation have caused me to suffer mental anguish and serious anxiety due to my tarnished reputation and destroyed credibility,” he added.
Sotto is asking for moral damages of at least P20 million and exemplary damages of at least P15 million from Yap.
“A lot of people have been asking me, ‘Ano ang reaksiyon mo?’ Eto na po iyon. (What is your reaction? Here it is),” Sotto told the media after filing the complaint.
He added, “Walang personalan ito. I just trust in our justice system. Ako’y laban sa mga iresponsableng tao lalo na pagdating sa social media (I am against irresponsible people especially when it comes to social media).”
Sotto said he was not surprised when the trailer came out as the film was being promoted since last year. He said his wife, children and friends are supporting him.
He said he was not consulted by the people behind the film.
“Walang consent (No consent),” he said.
When asked about his message for Yap, he said, “Wala naman (None). Happy New Year.”
Sotto said he doesn’t hold any grudge against the stars of the film, saying, “Trabaho lang yon (That’s just work).”
His lawyer, Enrique dela Cruz Jr., explained that the 19 counts of cyber libel were based on 19 posts by Yap.
“Bawat post na mapanira ay isang count (Every post that is damaging is one count),” he said.
He said, “Eto deretsahang tinawag na ‘rapist’ ang aming kliyente (Here our client was directly called a 'rapist’).”
In the complaint, Sotto stated that "despite having knowledge that the criminal case filed by Pepsi Paloma against me was dismissed, respondent framed the teaser video in a way that it explicitly identified me as the supposed rapist of Pepsi Paloma."
In the trailer, Solis (Alajar) asked Paloma (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?"
Paloma shouted, "Oo!"
Dela Cruz added that Pauleen has been receiving grave threats while the child of the Sottos has been bullied in school.
Writ of Habeas Data
In addition, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 issued an order accepting the petition for writ of habeas data filed by Sotto against Yap and “all other persons acting for and on his behalf.”
According to the Supreme Court, “The writ of habeas data is a remedy available to any person whose right to privacy in life, liberty or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information regarding the person, family, home and correspondence of the aggrieved party.”
In the order, Judge Liezel Aquiatan directed Yap to submit a verified return of the writ within five days from receipt.
The judge set the summary hearing on Jan. 15 "to determine the merits of the Petition."
Dela Cruz said through the writ, they want to stop the showing of the trailer.
“Lahat ng paglabag sa privacy ng aming kliyente ay nais naming ipatigil kaya sakop po doon yung pagpapalabas ng anumang teaser video na sumasaklaw sa kanyang privacy na walang consent (We want to stop all violations of our client's privacy, so that includes the release of any teaser video that violates his privacy without consent),” he said.
He said the writ also covers those who shared the teaser video.
Vic Sotto's lawyer, Enrique Dela Cruz Jr. (Jonathan Hicap)
Yap's reaction
Yap posted his reaction to the complaint filed by Sotto on Facebook.
This is Yap’s post:
“Kalayaan ng kahit sino ang magsampa ng reklamo,
“Walang may monopolyo sa katarungan,
“lalo na sa katotohanan.
“Malaya ang sinuman na magsampa ng reklamo,
“para mas maging malinaw ang totoo.
“dahil sa huli, Katotohanan lang ang depensa
“sa lahat ng Katanungan.
“Inurong ba ni Pepsi ang asunto?
“ang sagot ay nasa litrato.
“Hindi ba napatunayan ang akusasyon ni Pepsi?
“ang sagot ay nasa litrato.
“pero NAGSAMPA BA NG KASONG RAPE SI PEPSI LABAN KAY VIC SOTTO?
“ang sagot rin ay nasa litrato.
“Nagsinungaling ba ang teaser?
“Ang sagot ay wala sa litrato…
“ito ay nasa maraming lathalain,
“ito ay nasa mga naburang bidyo
“ito ay nasa mga lumang dyaryo.
“Alam nang mga nakakaalam noon,
“at alam na ng mga nagtatanong ngayon.
“Delia, Pepsi— Babalik tayo sa Korte 🙂
“Ang Pilipino sa Sinehan
‘“#TROPP #TROPP2025
“The Rapists of #PepsiPaloma”