Cheyenne Suarez

'Res judicata': Assistant dean reacts to Vic Sotto lawsuit vs Darryl Yap

Article (news)

David Dizon

<p>The assistant dean of the University of Makati College of Law has reacted to veteran actor and television host Vic Sotto’s <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/9/vic-sotto-files-complaint-vs-maker-of-pepsi-paloma-trailer-1033">cyberlibel lawsuit</a> against filmmaker Darryl Yap over the trailer of a movie about the late &#x27;80s star Pepsi Paloma.</p><p>Speaking to TeleRadyo Serbisyo, Atty. Cecilio Duka said the right to freedom of expression cannot supercede an individual’s right to privacy.</p><p>“Sa ating batas may hangganan ang karapatan ng bawat tao. May tinatawag na karapatan ng pamamahayag pero kung ang karapatan ay nakakasira naman sa reputasyon o imahe ng iba pa, don natatapos ang karapatan,” he said.</p><p>“Mayroon ding batas na nagbibigay proteksyon sa ating integridad bilang individual. Mangingibabaw po ang pag proteksyon don sa integridad ng isang tao.”</p><p>Duka said historical fiction in a movie cannot be used to trample on the rights of individuals.</p><p>“Sa batas natin at sa mga desisyon ng korte, kahit nagsasabi ka ng katotohanan pero ang paraan ng pagsasabi mo ay may malisya, hindi po dépensa ito laban sa libel o cyberlibel. Sa paraan ng pagpapahayag, ito ho ay may malisya o makakasira sa kapwa, may pananagutan ito sa ating batas,” he said.</p><p>“Parehong may karapatan - may karapatan ng pamamahayag pero sa kanyang pamamahayag nakakasira siya ng tao, may karapatan naman po ‘yang sa palagay niya ay sinisiraan siya, na magdemanda dahil nasa batas yun. Ang pagsasabi ng katotohanan in itself ay hindi po sapat na dépensa laban sa libel.”</p><p>He also noted there is a legal principle called res judicata which prevents parties from relitigating a matter that has already been decided by a court.</p><p>“Kung natapos na ang kaso, meron tayong tinatawag na desisyon są korte na res judicata, walang forever. Ibig sabihin mag move on na tayo. Kung natapos na, hindi na kailangang balikbalikan dahil wala namang forever talaga,” he said.</p><p>On Thursday, Sotto and his lawyers filed the complaint for 19 counts of cyber libel against Yap before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court. The complaint includes a prayer for moral damages worth P20 million and exemplary damages worth P15 million.</p><p>Sotto said he was not consulted about the movie and he only heard about it through his wife, actress and TV host Pauleen Luna. He refused to comment when asked if he thought the issue was politically motivated, as his son Pasig City mayor Vico Sotto is seeking re-election.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5bas_c67xGk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>Yap said the upcoming film would revisit Paloma&#x27;s alleged rape and subsequent death in 1985. He first revealed in October that he was working on the film.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/08/02/18/sotto-pepsi-paloma-rape-stories-are-fake-news" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sotto: Pepsi Paloma rape stories are &#x27;fake news&#x27;</a></div><div><br/></div><p>Last week, the filmmaker shared a photo of him with the mother and brother of Paloma, whose perspective would supposedly be part of the film.</p><p>Paloma&#x27;s case made headlines in 1982 following her allegation that comedians Sotto, Joey De Leon and Richie D&#x27;Horsie of supposedly drugged and raped her.</p><p>Paloma was found lifeless inside her apartment in 1985.</p><p>After Sotto filed the complaint, Yap said, &quot;Kalayaan ng kahit sino ang magsampa ng reklamo, Walang may monopolyo sa katarungan, lalo na sa katotohanan.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Malaya ang sinuman na magsampa ng reklamo, para mas maging malinaw ang totoo. dahil sa huli, Katotohanan lang ang depensa sa lahat ng Katanungan,&quot; he said on Facebook.</p><p>The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 has ordered the issuance of a Writ of Habeas Data, the petition of which was filed by Sotto&#x27;s camp on January 7.</p><p>The writ enjoins respondents from further violating petitioner’s right to privacy.</p>

<p>The assistant dean of the University of Makati College of Law has reacted to TV host Vic Sotto’s <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/9/vic-sotto-files-complaint-vs-maker-of-pepsi-paloma-trailer-1033">cyberlibel lawsuit</a> against filmmaker Darryl Yap over the trailer of a movie about the late '80s star Pepsi Paloma.</p>

The assistant dean of the University of Makati College of Law has reacted to TV host Vic Sotto’s cyberlibel lawsuit against filmmaker Darryl Yap over the trailer of a movie about the late '80s star Pepsi Paloma.