Vic Sotto files case against Darryl Yap over ‘The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma’ film
Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of rape.
Vic Sotto is taking legal action against Darryl Yap after his name was mentioned in the teaser of the filmmaker’s upcoming movie The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma.
News5 reported that the TV host filed 19 counts of cyberlibel against the controversial director at the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court on Thursday, Jan. 9.
Sotto was accompanied by his wife Pauleen Luna when he filed the case.
Yap shared his reaction to the complaint in a Facebook post later in the day with a photo of Pepsi (Rhed Bustamante) from the teaser of his latest project.
"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," he said.
"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," Yap added.
"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 ng mga nakakaalam noon, at alam na ng mga nagtatanong ngayon," he continued.
The Muntinlupa court, on the same day, granted Sotto's petition for a writ of habeas data, prohibiting the spread of the teaser or any promotional material related to Yap's film.
Sotto's legal action came after the release of a 26-second teaser for the film on Yap's content page Vincentments on Jan. 1.
In the teaser, a frantic Charito Solis (Gina Alajar) can be seen confronting a distraught Pepsi (Rhed Bustamante).
"Ipaliwanag mo sa akin," Solis says. "Magsabi ka sa akin. Ipaliwanag mo dahil hindi ko naiintindihan."
Things get grim when Charito categorically asks Pepsi, "Ni-rape ka ba ni Vic Sotto?"
"Oo," Pepsi screams.
The text, "Nagsampa ng kasong rape si Pepsi Paloma laban kay Vic Sotto noong August 17, 1982," then flashes on the screen.
Pepsi, whose real name is Delia Dueña Smith Smith, was a rising star in the '80s who reportedly took her own life in 1985. She was 18. Her body was found in her home in Quezon City.
Yap says only accounts with 'evidentiary support' will be shown in film
A day before the teaser dropped, Yap, in a Facebook post, explained that making a film based on real-life events could put him into trouble, but only if he was lying.
"Hindi ko ipapahamak ang sarili ko, hindi ako magsisinungaling," he said in all caps.
He pointed out that he has no personal or political motive for such a film.
"Hindi kaaway ng mga Sotto ang producer ko, wala akong masamang tinapay sa TVJ," he said of the trio of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey De Leon.
Yap said it isn't difficult to tell the truth.
"Hindi mahirap ikwento ang katotohanan, lalo na kung kwento ito ng kababayan," he said. "Si Pepsi Paloma ay taga-Olongapo, tulad ko."
"Responsibilidad kong ibandera ang kwento ng aking lungsod at mamamayan nito. Maganda man o malagim," he added.
In another post, Yap addressed some frequently asked questions he's supposedly getting.
As to whether he'd implicate TVJ through the film, he said, "Kung ano lang ang nangyari, kung ano ang published at with evidentiary support, 'yun lang ang ipapakita sa pelikula."
Yap also pointed out that the film is not about TVJ but Pepsi. He, however, confirmed that TVJ will appear in the movie.
The film is set to open in cinemas this year. Aside from Bustamante as Pepsi and Alajar as Charito, it will also star Shamaine Buencamino as Pepsi's mother Lydia Duena Whitley, Mon Confiado as Pepsi's talent manager Dr. Rey Dela Cruz, and Andres Balano Jr. as comedian Richie D'Horsie.
