Tito Sotto says root of Pepsi Paloma case traces back to late manager Rey dela Cruz
Tito Sotto during the “HARAPAN 2025” interview. Image: Screengrab from YouTube/ABS-CBN News
For the first time since the issue on the rape of the late sexy actress Pepsi Paloma resurfaced, former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III blamed the matter on gimmick mounted by her former talent manager, Rey dela Cruz, now deceased.
At ABS-CBN’s senatorial interview Harapan 2025, Sotto was asked about why he thinks the Pepsi Paloma issue involving his younger brother, Vic Sotto, won’t die down, and how it could impact his senate reelection bid.
“Alam ko ang pinagmulan niyan eh. It was a showbiz gimmick 42 years ago. Sa tagal-tagal ng panahon na walang problema sa brother ko [Vic Sotto], meron nang nakaisip bumaling. Baka pera ang usapan diyan or meron gustong siraan. ‘Yun lang ang pupuntahan niyan,” he said.
(I know how it started. It was a showbiz gimmick 42 years ago. My brother Vic Sotto never had any issues for a long time. And there was one who wanted to taint his image. Maybe it’s due to money or they want to ruin his reputation. That was the cause.)
According to Sotto, dela Cruz had wanted to get back at his family for an unpaid TV guesting for his talent.
Sotto, as well as Vic, and Joey de Leon form the comedy triumvirate now known as TVJ, who host the longest running noontime show, “Eat Bulaga.” At the time, the show was being produced by TAPE Inc., with which they had a falling out in 2023.
“Sa amin, matagal na naming binasura. Sapagkat, alam namin kung anong pinagmulan niyan. Gusto maka-singil ni Rey dela Cruz sa guesting ng artists niya na hindi makasingil, ‘yun talaga ang nagsimula pero wala ng iba,” he said, without disclosing the talents’ names or the particular avenue where they made the appearance.
(The case has long been dismissed on our end. This is because I knew how it began. Rey dela Cruz wanted to get back at us for an unpaid guesting of his talents. That’s how it started. That’s it.)
The Pepsi Paloma case resurfaced after director-screenwriter Darryl Yap announced the production of his upcoming movie “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma” back in December 2024. Its teaser featured Rhed Bustamante (as Paloma) and Gina Alajar (as Charito Solis) in a heated confrontation, pointing to Vic as one of the sexy star’s alleged rapists.
This spiraled into a legal showdown with Vic filing a petition for the issuance of a writ of habeas data before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC). A separate complaint for 19 counts of cyberlibel was likewise filed against the writer-director before the Muntinlupa prosecutor’s office.
Weeks after filing, the Muntinlupa RTC partially granted the writ of habeas data petition, which ordered the removal of the controversial teaser from all platforms. The court, however, said it could not prevent the showing of the movie.
Meanwhile, Sotto denied receiving a copy of the movie’s script, contrary to the claims given by Yap’s legal counsel Atty. Raymond Fortun, saying it was forwarded to a “Sotto sibling who’s a senator.”
Both Paloma and dela Cruz have already died in an equally controversial manner. Paloma died by hanging herself three years after the dismissal of her complaint against Vic. Dela Cruz, a licensed optometrist, was shot died by still unknown assailants outside his clinic in Quiapo, Manila.
