 In 2018, Sotto requested "The Philippine Inquirer" to remove published articles available online mentioning the Pepsi Paloma Case, claiming them to be "fake news" (though clearly was not the case),  and damaging to his current reputation as a Senator.Three years later, Paloma was found dead in an apparent suicide, though evidence suggests this was actually murder in order to prevent her from testifying against Sotto in court.Dela Cruz was murdered years later.