Filmmaker Darryl Yap on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to cyberlibel charges filed by veteran actor and TV host Vic Sotto over a controversial film teaser that branded Sotto a rapist.
Yap entered the plea during his arraignment before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court, confirmed by his legal counsel Raymund Fortun. With the plea now entered, the case will move forward to trial under standard legal procedures. The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 19.
The charges stem from Yap’s film teaser for Rapists of Pepsi Paloma, released on January 1, which drew public backlash for directly implicating Sotto in the decades-old Pepsi Paloma case. The Muntinlupa City Prosecutor’s Office found enough basis to file two counts of cyberlibel on March 17, citing prima facie evidence and a strong likelihood of conviction.
Sotto had earlier filed a total of 19 counts of cyberlibel on January 9, demanding P35 million in damages—P20 million for moral damages due to reputational harm, and P15 million in exemplary damages to deter similar incidents in the future.
Under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, cyberlibel extends the crime of libel to content published online, using the same legal definitions and penalties as stated in the Revised Penal Code.
