Pepsi Paloma

Delia Dueñas Smit h (July 17, 1966 – May 31, 1985), bet t er known as Pepsi Paloma, was a
Filipino-American dancer and act ress in t he Philippines. She was one of t he popular Soft drinks
Beaut ies int roduced in t he 1980s along wit h Sarsi Emmanuelle and Coca Nicolas. She was known
for films such as Brown Emanuelle (1981), The Victim (1982), Krus sa Bawat Punglo (1982),
Virgin People (1983), Snake Sisters (1983), Naked Island (1984), Matukso kaya ang Anghel?
(1984) and Room 69 (1985).
 Pepsi Paloma

Born Delia Dueñas Smith

July 17, 1966
Manila, Philippines

Died May 31, 1985 (aged 18)

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Cause of death Suicide

Occupation Actress, entertainer

Years active 1980–1985

Career

Born Delia Dueñas Smit h, Paloma was t he eldest daught er of Lydia Dueñas, a nat ive of Borac,
Nort hern Samar, and an American let t er carrier, Kennet h Smit h, who abandoned his family when
t he children were st ill young. When she was 14 years old, a t alent scout named Tit a Est er
brought Paloma t o t alent manager Rey dela Cruz in 1980 for a possible film career. In 1981, she
made her debut in t he movie Brown Emmanuelle. She was given t he st age name Pepsi Paloma
and was promot ed as one of t he members of t he so-called “soft drink” beaut ies t oget her wit h
Coca Nicolas and Sarsi Emmanuelle.[1]

Rape case and aftermath

Aft er appearing in a handful of films, Paloma was involved in a highly publicized scandal when she
accused comedians Vic Sot t o, Joey de Leon, and Ricardo "Richie D'Horsie" Reyes of rape.
According t o Paloma's account , she and fellow act ress Guada Guarin were drugged and t hen
brought t o a room at t he Sulô Hot el in Quezon Cit y where t he rape happened. Act or and fut ure
senat or Tit o Sot t o who is also Vic's older brot her, soon became involved and compelled Paloma
t o drop t he charges by allegedly int imidat ing her wit h a gun. Sot t o had drawn up an Affidavit of
Desist ance and obt ained her signat ure, alt hough some newspaper report s st at ed t hat it was
Pepsi's mot her who signed t he document on her behalf.[2] Had t he suspect s been convict ed of
t he charges, t hey would face deat h penalt y—execut ion by elect ric chair, t he same fat e t hat
befell t hree of four convict ed rapist s in act ress Maggie de la Riva's case t wo decades prior.[3]
According t o a now-unpublished art icle by t he Philippine Daily Inquirer, it was also around t his
t ime t hat Paloma was report ed missing and was found being held capt ive by convict ed felon
Bienvenido "Ben Ulo" Mendoza, a relat ive of t he Sot t os. Despit e his arrest and confession, t here
is no record t hat Ben Ulo was ever charged wit h any crime connect ed wit h t he abduct ion of
Pepsi Paloma.

Alt hough t he t hree suspect s init ially denied Paloma's accusat ions, t hey lat er issued a public
apology, on t heir knees on live TV,[1] and in an art icle published by t he People's Journal on
Oct ober 13, 1982, saying "We hope t hat you will not allow t he error we have commit t ed against
you t o st and as a st umbling block t o t hat fut ure which we all look forward t o. We, t herefore, ask
you t o find it in your heart t o pardon us for t he wrong which we have done against you". Due t o
t he signed Affidavit of Desist ance, Paloma did not pursue her complaint and t he case did not go
t o court .

Death

On May 31, 1985, Paloma was found dead in her apart ment , in an apparent suicide by hanging.
According t o police invest igat ion, t he rape case was one fact or of her suicide. A diary, cit ing
monet ary problems and anxiet ies over her relat ionship wit h her mot her and her boyfriend, was
found in her bedroom, alt hough t he aut hent icit y of t he journal ent ries have been quest ioned,
especially by her manager Babet t e " Babe" Corcuerra who claims she is act ually earning well.[3]
The myst eries surrounding t he case and Paloma's deat h were alleged t o be immort alized in t he
popular Eraserheads song "Spoliarium". She was buried at Olongapo Memorial Park in
Zambales.[4][5]

Aftermath
Despit e t he suspect s' earlier apology, Tit o Sot t o has maint ained his posit ion against any
involvement in t he whit ewashing of t he rape case and alleges t hat t he scandal was a gimmick by
Paloma's part y for publicit y. Sot t o said t hat he was not involved as a perpet rat or in t he rape of
Paloma and he denied using his posit ion in government t o influence t he court decision. Sot t o
became Vice Mayor in Quezon Cit y in 1988 before being elect ed as a Senat or in 1992.[6][7] In
2018, t he elder Sot t o request ed The Philippine Inquirer t o remove published art icles available
online ment ioning t he Pepsi Paloma Case damaging t o his current reput at ion as a Senat or.[8][9]

References

1. "Where Are They Now: Pepsi Paloma and the Other "Softdrink Beauties" of the '80s" (https://www.esqu
iremag.ph/culture/arts-and-entertainment/pepsi-paloma-sarsi-emanuelle-and-other-softdrink-beauties
-of-the-80s-a2161-20180528-lfrm) . Esquire. Retrieved 28 February 2019.

2. "Pepsi Paloma and Tito Sotto's disco days" (https://www.manilatimes.net/pepsi-paloma-and-tito-sotto

s-disco-days/412586/) . The Manila Times. Retrieved 1 February 2019.

3. "33 Years After She Died, We Still Remember the Myth of Pepsi Paloma" (https://www.esquiremag.ph/l
ong-reads/features/33-years-after-she-died-we-still-remember-the-myth-of-pepsi-paloma-a1729-20180
531-lfrm2) . Esquire. Retrieved 28 February 2019.

4. "The Mysterious Life And Death of Pepsi Paloma" (http://www.filipiknow.net/pepsi-paloma/) .

FilipiKnow. Retrieved 1 November 2015.

5. "BOLD STARS OF THE 80s #3: THE CRUEL WORLD OF PEPSI PALOMA" (http://video48.blogspot.com/
2009/03/bold-stars-of-80s-3-cruel-world-of.html) . March 14, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2016.

. De Jesus, Topel V. (March 3, 2016). "Tito Sotto denies whitewashing Pepsi Paloma rape case" (http://e
ntertainment.inquirer.net/191427/tito-sotto-denies-whitewashing-pepsi-paloma-rape-case) .
Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 4, 2016.

7. "Tito Sotto: Pepsi Paloma scandal was a 'gimmick' " (http://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/03/03/1

6/tito-sotto-pepsi-paloma-scandal-was-a-gimmick) . ABS-CBN News. March 4, 2016. Retrieved
March 4, 2016.

. "INQUIRER.net statement on the Pepsi Paloma stories" (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/99861/the-rap

e-of-pepsi-paloma) . Retrieved February 28, 2019.

9. "Beware The Streisand Effect: a Short Explainer for Sen. Tito Sotto" (https://www.esquiremag.ph/cultu
re/lifestyle/beware-the-streisand-effect-tito-sotto-a00203-20180618-lfrm) . Esquire. June 18, 2018.
Retrieved February 28, 2019.