Pauleen Luna-Sotto, daughter receive ‘threats’ amid Pepsi Paloma film issue, says lawyer

Pauleen Luna-Sotto and her daughter with husband Vic Sotto are reportedly facing threats and bullying amidst the controversy surrounding Darryl Yap’s upcoming film about late actress Pepsi Paloma.

Vic’s legal counsel, Atty. Enrique dela Cruz, detailed in a press interview how the Eat Bulaga mainstay’s wife and daughter are being affected after the teaser for “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma” was released.

“Sa ngayon, nakakatanggap ng mga rape threats ‘yung asawa niya. Binu-bully ‘yung kaniyang anak sa eskwela, so kailangang umaksyon talaga,” stated Dela Cruz.

“Nati-trigger ito dahil sa teaser video na inilabas. Whatever good intentions he might have, the effect is already there,” he added.

On January 9, Vic formally filed 19 counts of cyberlibel complaints against Yap following the release of the trailer for “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma,” in which Vic’s name was mentioned in connection with a decades-old rape issue involving the late actress Pepsi Paloma.

“Diretsahang tinawag na ‘rapist’ ‘yung ating kliyente,” Atty. Dela Cruz said.

“Malaya kang magbigay ng sarili mong katotohanan, pero hindi mo pwedeng ibenta at manira ng iba,” added the legal counsel, saying that the law does not protect libel, even when disguised as creative freedom.

He further explained that the court had granted their Writ of Habeas Data request, which prohibits Yap from promoting the film in any form while the case is ongoing.

“Lahat ng paglabag sa privacy ng aming kliyente ay gusto naming ipahinto. Kasama na rito ang pagpapalabas ng anumang teaser video na sumasaklaw sa kanyang privacy nang walang consent,” he clarified.

“Pagdating sa libel, ang mahalaga ay hindi ang intensyon ng writer o author, kundi ang epekto nito sa biktima,” Dela Cruz emphasized.