In a dramatic escalation of the long-standing showbiz feud, former Eat Bulaga! co-host Anjo Yllana has launched a series of blistering attacks against the iconic trio of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon (TVJ). Yllana’s public tirades, allegedly fueled by his contentious departure from the noontime show in 2020, have transitioned from general grievances to shocking personal allegations, drawing widespread attention and reigniting old controversies in the Philippine entertainment industry.
The Root of the Rage: Yllana’s Departure and Retaliation
Anjo Yllana’s recent outburst appears to be a direct counter-attack following persistent criticism from what he terms as “paid vloggers” associated with Senator Tito Sotto. Yllana, who served as a co-host on Eat Bulaga! for 21 years before his resignation in 2020 (to host the rival noontime show Happy Time on Net25), has expressed profound anger, vowing to expose all the “dirt” (“baho”) of the TVJ group.
The comedian’s rage has manifested in a series of dramatic threats and revelations. He had previously issued a strong warning that he would expose the identity of the Senator’s alleged mistress, who he claimed was involved with Eat Bulaga! since 2013, if the attacks from Sotto’s alleged camp did not cease. Yllana asserted that he is privy to the inner workings of the noontime show, including an alleged “syndicate” operating behind the scenes. He also directly challenged Senator Sotto to present evidence proving that the show’s scholarship fund money was genuinely being distributed to the scholars.
Yllana has declared that he has nothing left to hide and fears no retaliation from TVJ, asserting that he should have spoken out years ago. “I have nothing left to cover up, and I should have done this a long time ago,” he stated, vowing to disclose all the secrets he knows.
Focus Shifts to Vic Sotto: The Blind Item Revelation
The recent wave of attacks has zeroed in on Vic Sotto, the youngest of the three main hosts. Yllana publicly challenged Vic, threatening to expose a long-kept secret. Yllana claims he was a witness to all the “animalya” (wrongdoings) committed by the TVJ trio in the past, secrets he claims were successfully buried because of the trio’s alleged skill in “cleaning up messes” and evading accountability for their past sins.
The most shocking revelation came in the form of a blind item, where Yllana spoke of a former female co-host of Eat Bulaga! who was allegedly forced to leave the show due to the actions of one of the TVJ members. Yllana offered cryptic clues, saying this individual was known for being fond of “checks” and was prone to giving “clues.”
The most damaging part of the blind item was Yllana’s claim that this particular TVJ member allegedly had a pattern of pursuing female co-hosts and had even impregnated the host in question, forcing her to leave Eat Bulaga! The co-host was reportedly asked to resign by the management, who then allegedly paid her to keep silent about the incident.
The Julia Clarete Connection: Netizen Speculation
Yllana’s sensational claims immediately sent netizens scrambling to piece together the clues, leading to the resurgence of an old, persistent rumor concerning Vic Sotto and former co-host Julia Clarete.
Clarete was a co-host on Eat Bulaga! from 2005 to 2016. Her sudden departure fueled previous unconfirmed rumors that Vic Sotto was allegedly the reason she ultimately left the program. The key detail linking Yllana’s blind item to the past speculation is the long-running, unverified rumor that Julia Clarete became pregnant by Vic Sotto and was not acknowledged or supported, prompting her exit from the show.
Netizens have connected Yllana’s detailed revelation—mentioning a female co-host who was pressured to leave due to a member’s actions, and the explicit mention of an alleged pregnancy and subsequent payment for silence—directly to the past controversies surrounding Sotto and Clarete.
This renewed scrutiny highlights Yllana’s core accusation: that TVJ is skilled at covering up their past mistakes and maintaining a wholesome public image despite alleged wrongdoings. The resurfacing of the Vic Sotto-Julia Clarete speculation, previously a mere rumor, has gained fresh, explosive momentum following the determined and aggressive disclosures from a former insider like Anjo Yllana.
Conclusion: A Showbiz War Reaches a Boiling Point
Anjo Yllana’s relentless public campaign is no longer just a critique of the workplace environment at TAPE Inc. or a protest over his forced exit. It has become an intense personal and professional vendetta aimed at dismantling the carefully constructed public image of the legendary TVJ trio. By alleging illicit affairs, hidden children, and a systemic cover-up operation, Yllana is using his status as a former “Dabarkads” (co-host) to wage a full-scale showbiz war.
While the sensational claims surrounding Vic Sotto and Julia Clarete remain unverified by the parties involved, Yllana’s willingness to cross personal and professional lines guarantees that this controversy will continue to dominate headlines, forcing the public to re-examine the decades-long history of one of the Philippines’ most enduring entertainment institutions.
