Director Darryl Yap is facing two counts of cyberlibel filed before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) due to a controversial scene in his upcoming biopic about the late actress Pepsi Paloma.
In an information dated March 17, the Muntinlupa City Prosecutor charged Yap with libel under Articles 353 and 355 of the Revised Penal Code, in connection with Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The charges stemmed from a teaser of Yap’s film, “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma,” released on January 1. The teaser included a scene where Gina Alajar’s character, portraying veteran actress Charito Solis, asked the actress playing Pepsi Paloma if she had been raped by actor-host Vic Sotto. The character replied, “yes.”
The city prosecutor stated that the scene defamed Sotto by “attributing to him the commission of the crime against the deceased actress Pepsi Paloma,” thereby exposing him to “public contempt, hatred, dishonor, or ridicule,” which damaged his reputation.
The recommended bail for each count of cyberlibel was set at PHP 10,000.
Sotto Filed 19 Complaints
Vic Sotto filed a total of 19 counts of cyberlibel complaints against Yap in January. In a recent interview, Sotto explained that he had initially stayed silent about the viral teaser but eventually decided to seek legal action.
“A lot of people have been asking me, ‘Ano reaction mo?’ Ito na po yun. Ito na po yung reaction ko,” Sotto stated. He emphasized that his decision was not personal but driven by a desire to hold irresponsible individuals accountable, especially when it comes to social media.
Sotto also revealed that no one from the production team consulted or sought his consent before depicting the controversial narrative.
“Walang kumunsulta, walang nagpaalam, walang consent,” he stressed.
Yap, known for his provocative works, has yet to release an official statement regarding the charges. As the case progresses, the court’s decision is expected to set a precedent for filmmakers tackling sensitive subjects involving real-life public figures.
