TV host Vic Sotto has filed a lawsuit against director Darryl Yap, accusing him of making “malicious and defamatory statements” in connection with a movie trailer featuring the late actress Pepsi Paloma.
Sotto, through his legal counsel, Atty. Enrique Dela Cruz, filed 19 counts of cyber libel against Yap at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Thursday for violating the Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2022, seeking P35 million in damages.
The legal dispute stemmed from the teaser of Yap’s upcoming film, The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma, which allegedly suggests Sotto’s involvement in a rape accusation concerning the late actress.
In the teaser, a scene depicts a character mentioning Sotto’s name while asking Paloma, portrayed by former child star Rhed Bustamante, if he had raped her, to which Paloma responds with confirmation.
“A lot of people have been asking me, ‘ano reaction mo?’ Ito na po ‘yun. Ito na po yung reaction ko. Sabi ko nga eh, ito’y walang personalan ito, I just trust in our justice system. Ako’y laban sa mga irresponsableng tao lalo na pagdating sa social media,” Sotto said.
The complaint also accused Yap of using social media to damage Sotto’s reputation for promotional purposes.
“Walang kumunsulta, walang nagpaalam, walang consent,” Sotto said, expressing his frustration over the unapproved use of his name in the film.
In response to the lawsuit, the court issued a writ of habeas data, ordering Yap to halt the release of the teaser and other promotional materials that depict or mention the personal information of Sotto. Yap is also required to submit a response to the court within five days.
The film revisits the controversial rape case involving Paloma, implicating several notable figures, including Sotto.
