Comedian and television host Vic Sotto has filed a P35 million cyberlibel lawsuit against filmmaker Darryl Yap over a controversial teaser for Yap’s upcoming film, The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma. The teaser allegedly implicated Sotto as a “rapist” of the late actress Pepsi Paloma, a claim Sotto vehemently denies.
Sotto’s legal team, led by lawyer Enrique dela Cruz, lodged 19 counts of cyberlibel before the Muntinlupa City Prosecutor’s Office. The charges correspond to multiple posts and shares of the teaser on Yap’s personal and production company’s social media accounts, which together have millions of followers. The teaser reportedly fueled public outrage and offensive comments against Sotto and his family.
According to an Inquirer.net report, Sotto is demanding P20 million in moral damages and P15 million in exemplary damages, citing the harm caused to his reputation and personal life. He described the accusations as baseless, adding that the original rape case against him was dismissed over 40 years ago.
In a parallel legal action, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court granted Sotto’s petition for a writ of habeas data earlier this week. The court ordered Yap to cease disseminating any promotional material that depicts Sotto as a rapist and to provide details on any collected data related to the allegations.
Yap, who remains vocal on social media, claimed that everyone has the right to file complaints but maintained his stance on pursuing the movie. The film, reportedly a biographical account of Paloma’s life, has sparked significant public and legal controversy.
A court hearing is set for January 15, 2025, to deliberate on the merits of the case and potentially solidify the court’s initial takedown order against the promotional materials.
