247:, who is also Vic's older brother, soon became involved, compelling Paloma to drop the charges by allegedly intimidating her with a gun. Sotto had drawn up an Affidavit of Desistance and obtained her signature, although some newspaper reports stated that it was Pepsi's mother who signed the document on her behalf. Had the suspects been convicted of the charges, they would have faced the death penalty—execution by electric chair, the same fate that befell three of four convicted rapists in actress
257:, it was also around this time that Paloma was reported missing and was found being held captive by convicted felon Bienvenido "Ben Ulo" Mendoza, a relative of the Sottos. Despite his arrest and confession, there is no record that Ben Ulo was ever charged with any crime connected with the abduction of Paloma.
283:
On May 31, 1985, Paloma was found dead in her apartment, in an apparent suicide by hanging. According to police investigation, the rape case was one factor of her suicide. A diary, citing monetary problems and anxieties over her relationship with her mother and her boyfriend, was found in her
211:, and an American letter carrier, Kenneth Smith, who abandoned his family when the children were still young. When she was 14, a talent scout named Tita Ester brought Paloma to talent manager Rey dela Cruz in 1980 for a possible film career. In 1981, she made her debut in the movie
300:
of the rape case and alleges that the scandal was a gimmick by Paloma's party for publicity. Sotto said that he was not involved as a perpetrator in the rape of Paloma and he denied using his position in government to influence the court decision. Sotto became Vice Mayor in
270:
We hope that you will not allow the error we have committed against you to stand as a stumbling block to that future which we all look forward to. We, therefore, ask you to find it in your heart to pardon us for the wrong which we have done against
56:
284:
bedroom, although the authenticity of the journal entries have been questioned, especially by her manager
Babette "Babe" Corcuerra, who claims she was actually earning well. She was buried at Olongapo Memorial Park in
361:
590:
215:. She was given the stage name Pepsi Paloma and was promoted as one of the members of the so-called “soft drink” beauties together with Coca Nicolas and Sarsi Emmanuelle.
415:
315:
where netizens mirrored and shared posts on social media about the rape case, sparked renewed public interest into the Pepsi Paloma affair. In a 2024 interview with
260:
Although the three suspects initially denied Paloma's accusations, they later issued a public apology, on their knees on live TV, and in an article published by the
666:
311:
to remove published articles available online mentioning the Pepsi Paloma Case damaging to his reputation as a
Senator; this in turn led to an instance of the
656:
563:
661:
646:
598:
488:
651:
515:
319:, fellow former Softdrink Beauty Coca Nicolas also denied the allegations, maintaining that the TVJ rape scandal was merely a
641:
239:. According to Paloma's account, she and fellow actress Guada Guarin were drugged, brought to a room at the SulĂ´ Hotel in
163:
dancer and actress in the
Philippines. She was one of the popular Softdrinks Beauties introduced in the 1980s along with
207:
Paloma was born as Delia Dueñas Smith on July 17, 1966. She was the eldest daughter of Lydia Dueñas, a native of Borac,
223:
After appearing in a handful of films, Paloma was involved in a highly publicized scandal when she accused comedians
493:
275:
Due to the signed
Affidavit of Desistance, Paloma did not pursue her complaint and the case did not go to court.
253:
465:
386:
296:
Despite the suspects' earlier apology, Tito Sotto has maintained his position against any involvement in the
307:
636:
297:
631:
626:
323:
orchestrated by their manager, Rey dela Cruz, and that no such sexual assault actually took place.
262:
541:
160:
232:
248:
312:
164:
341:"Gravetour of the Famous E81 Pepsi Paloma (Delia Smith) Olongapo Memorial Park - Zambales"
320:
208:
305:
in 1988 before being elected as a
Senator in 1992. In 2018, the elder Sotto requested
620:
20:
519:
316:
228:
103:
362:"Where Are They Now: Pepsi Paloma and the Other "Softdrink Beauties" of the '80s"
302:
240:
133:
99:
24:
591:"Coca Nicolas nagsalita tungkol sa nalalaman niya sa Pepsi Paloma controversy"
340:
244:
224:
440:
55:
285:
128:
115:
28:
416:"33 Years After She Died, We Still Remember the Myth of Pepsi Paloma"
80:
564:"Beware The Streisand Effect: a Short Explainer for Sen. Tito Sotto"
251:'s case two decades prior. According to a retracted article by the
236:
466:"BOLD STARS OF THE 80s #3: THE CRUEL WORLD OF PEPSI PALOMA"
489:"Tito Sotto denies whitewashing Pepsi Paloma rape case"
542:"INQUIRER.net statement on the Pepsi Paloma stories"
142:
121:
111:
88:
62:
46:
516:"Tito Sotto: Pepsi Paloma scandal was a 'gimmick'"
167:and Coca Nicolas. She was known for films such as
155:(July 17, 1966 – May 31, 1985), better known as
35: and the surname or paternal family name is
441:"The Mysterious Life And Death of Pepsi Paloma"
268:
8:
243:, and then raped. Actor and future senator
387:"Pepsi Paloma and Tito Sotto's disco days"
54:
43:
410:
408:
356:
354:
332:
667:Suicides by hanging in the Philippines
7:
487:De Jesus, Topel V. (March 3, 2016).
657:Filipino people of American descent
347:. Graveyard Pinoy TV. May 22, 2021.
589:Gabinete, Jojo (January 7, 2024).
14:
1:
266:on October 13, 1982, saying:
683:
662:People from Northern Samar
18:
647:Death conspiracy theories
494:Philippine Daily Inquirer
254:Philippine Daily Inquirer
53:
193:Matukso kaya ang Anghel?
308:The Philippine Inquirer
219:Rape case and aftermath
652:Entertainment scandals
273:
642:Actresses from Manila
177:Krus sa Bawat Punglo
112:Cause of death
601:on January 7, 2024
153:Delia Dueñas Smith
67:Delia Dueñas Smith
249:Maggie de la Riva
161:Filipino-American
150:
149:
143:Years active
27:or maternal
674:
611:
610:
608:
606:
597:. Archived from
586:
580:
579:
577:
575:
560:
554:
553:
551:
549:
538:
532:
531:
529:
527:
512:
506:
505:
503:
501:
484:
478:
477:
475:
473:
468:. March 14, 2009
462:
456:
455:
453:
451:
437:
431:
430:
428:
426:
412:
403:
402:
400:
398:
391:The Manila Times
383:
377:
376:
374:
372:
358:
349:
348:
337:
313:Streisand effect
263:People's Journal
213:Brown Emmanuelle
165:Sarsi Emmanuelle
95:
76:
74:
58:
44:
16:Filipino actress
682:
681:
677:
676:
675:
673:
672:
671:
617:
616:
615:
614:
604:
602:
588:
587:
583:
573:
571:
570:. June 18, 2018
562:
561:
557:
547:
545:
540:
539:
535:
525:
523:
522:. March 4, 2016
514:
513:
509:
499:
497:
486:
485:
481:
471:
469:
464:
463:
459:
449:
447:
439:
438:
434:
424:
422:
414:
413:
406:
396:
394:
393:. June 26, 2018
385:
384:
380:
370:
368:
360:
359:
352:
339:
338:
334:
329:
321:publicity stunt
294:
281:
233:Richie D'Horsie
231:, and Ricardo "
221:
205:
169:Brown Emanuelle
138:
107:
97:
93:
84:
78:
72:
70:
69:
68:
49:
40:
21:Philippine name
17:
12:
11:
5:
680:
678:
670:
669:
664:
659:
654:
649:
644:
639:
634:
629:
619:
618:
613:
612:
581:
555:
544:. July 5, 2018
533:
507:
479:
457:
432:
404:
378:
350:
331:
330:
328:
325:
293:
290:
280:
277:
220:
217:
209:Northern Samar
204:
201:
148:
147:
144:
140:
139:
137:
136:
131:
125:
123:
119:
118:
113:
109:
108:
98:
96:(aged 18)
90:
86:
85:
79:
66:
64:
60:
59:
51:
50:
47:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
679:
668:
665:
663:
660:
658:
655:
653:
650:
648:
645:
643:
640:
638:
637:1985 suicides
635:
633:
630:
628:
625:
624:
622:
600:
596:
592:
585:
582:
569:
565:
559:
556:
543:
537:
534:
521:
517:
511:
508:
496:
495:
490:
483:
480:
467:
461:
458:
446:
442:
436:
433:
421:
417:
411:
409:
405:
392:
388:
382:
379:
367:
363:
357:
355:
351:
346:
342:
336:
333:
326:
324:
322:
318:
314:
310:
309:
304:
299:
291:
289:
287:
278:
276:
272:
267:
265:
264:
258:
256:
255:
250:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
218:
216:
214:
210:
202:
200:
198:
194:
190:
186:
185:Snake Sisters
182:
181:Virgin People
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
145:
141:
135:
132:
130:
127:
126:
124:
120:
117:
114:
110:
106:, Philippines
105:
101:
91:
87:
83:, Philippines
82:
77:July 17, 1966
65:
61:
57:
52:
45:
42:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
603:. Retrieved
599:the original
594:
584:
574:February 28,
572:. Retrieved
567:
558:
548:February 28,
546:. Retrieved
536:
524:. Retrieved
520:ABS-CBN News
510:
498:. Retrieved
492:
482:
470:. Retrieved
460:
448:. Retrieved
444:
435:
425:February 28,
423:. Retrieved
419:
395:. Retrieved
390:
381:
371:February 28,
369:. Retrieved
365:
344:
335:
317:Julius Babao
306:
298:whitewashing
295:
288:, Zambales.
282:
274:
269:
261:
259:
252:
229:Joey de Leon
222:
212:
206:
196:
192:
189:Naked Island
188:
184:
180:
176:
172:
168:
157:Pepsi Paloma
156:
152:
151:
104:Metro Manila
94:(1985-05-31)
92:May 31, 1985
48:Pepsi Paloma
41:
36:
32:
632:1985 deaths
627:1966 births
450:November 1,
397:February 1,
345:YouTube.com
303:Quezon City
241:Quezon City
235:" Reyes of
195:(1984) and
134:entertainer
122:Occupations
100:Quezon City
29:family name
25:middle name
621:Categories
605:January 7,
445:FilipiKnow
327:References
245:Tito Sotto
173:The Victim
73:1966-07-17
292:Aftermath
225:Vic Sotto
146:1980–1985
526:March 4,
500:March 4,
472:March 4,
286:Olongapo
199:(1985).
191:(1984),
187:(1983),
183:(1983),
179:(1982),
175:(1982),
171:(1981),
159:, was a
19:In this
568:Esquire
420:Esquire
366:Esquire
197:Room 69
129:Actress
116:Suicide
595:PEP.ph
203:Career
81:Manila
33:Dueñas
23:, the
279:Death
37:Smith
607:2024
576:2019
550:2019
528:2016
502:2016
474:2016
452:2015
427:2019
399:2019
373:2019
271:you.
237:rape
89:Died
63:Born
31:is
623::
593:.
566:.
518:.
491:.
443:.
418:.
407:^
389:.
364:.
353:^
343:.
227:,
102:,
609:.
578:.
552:.
530:.
504:.
476:.
454:.
429:.
401:.
375:.
75:)
71:(
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
