Vic Sotto testifies: Yap’s film caused online attacks on family

VETERAN TV host Vic Sotto testified in court Tuesday in the cyber libel case he filed against filmmaker Darryl Yap, stating that the latter’s movie teaser led to online attacks and threats against him, his wife Pauleen Luna-Sotto, and their daughter.

Sotto alleges that the teaser for Yap’s film, “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma,” falsely portrayed him as having raped Pepsi Paloma, despite the actress’s own denials and the dismissal of the case against him years ago.

In his judicial affidavit, Sotto claimed that Yap deliberately framed the teaser to create the impression of documented confirmation of the rape, knowing this to be untrue.

He argued that Yap’s actions were intended to generate publicity and incite unwarranted conclusions among the public. Sotto detailed how the teaser resulted in personal attacks and threats of physical harm from netizens directed at him and his family.

Sotto is seeking P35 million in moral and exemplary damages from Yap, who has pleaded “not guilty” to the two counts of cyber libel. Yap’s lawyer, Raymond Fortun, previously stated that Yap shared his script with one of Sotto’s siblings and repeatedly sought feedback, but received none. Fortun maintained that Yap had no intention of harming anyone’s reputation.