The Muntinlupa City Prosecutor’s Office filed two counts of cyber libel before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court against director Darryl Yap over the teaser of his controversial film "The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma."
“After thorough evaluation of the allegations and supporting evidence submitted by both parties,. we find prima facie evidence, with reasonable certainty of conviction, to hold respondent Darryl Ray Spyke Yap y Balingit liable for two (2) counts of Libel under Arts. 353 and 355 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by R.A. 10951 in relation to Sec, 4 (c) (4) of R.A. 10175, otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012,” the prosecutor’s office stated in a resolution dated March 17.
Vic Sotto, Rhed Bustamante as Pepsi Paloma, and Darryl Yap (Photos: Jonathan Hicap, Darryl Yap's Facebook account)
The filing stemmed from a complaint filed by TV host and actor Vic Sotto against Yap before the prosecutor’s office on Jan. 9.
Vic went to the Muntinlupa Prosecutor’s Office to file 19 counts of cyber libel, accusing Yap of violating Republic Act 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 in relation to libel under the Revised Penal Code.
"The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma” 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.
In the teaser, Solis (Alajar) asked Paloma (Bustamante), "Ipaliwanag mo sa akin! Magsabi ka sa akin! Ipaliwanag mo... Dahil ko naiintindihan! Pepsi sumagot ka! Ni-rape ka ba ni Vic Sotto?"
Paloma shouted, "Oo!"