Director Darryl Yap is facing two counts of cyberlibel filed with the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court regarding his controversial biographical film on the late actress Pepsi Paloma.
In a formal complaint dated 17 March, the Office of the City Prosecutor accused Yap of libel under Articles 353 and 355 of the Revised Penal Code, in violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act (Republic Act 10175) of 2012.
The charges stem from a teaser for Yap's upcoming film, The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma, released on 1 January.
The scene in question features actress Gina Alajar, portraying Charito Solis, asking the character of Pepsi Paloma (played by another actress) whether she was raped by actor-host Vic Sotto, to which the character responds affirmatively.
The city prosecutor stated that this portrayal defamed Sotto, claiming it falsely attributed the crime of rape to him, thereby exposing him to public ridicule and damaging his reputation. The recommended bail for each count is set at P10,000.
In January, Sotto had already filed 19 separate cyberlibel complaints against Yap. In an interview, Sotto explained that he had initially stayed silent about the viral video but had now decided to pursue legal action.
"People have been asking me, 'What’s your reaction?' Well, this is it. This is my reaction. I’ve said before, this isn’t personal, I trust our justice system. I stand against irresponsible behavior, especially on social media," he shared.
Sotto also revealed that he was not consulted by the film’s production team. "No one asked me, no one gave permission, no one sought my consent," he added.