Former Co-Host Anjo Yllana Levels Explosive Accusations Against Senator Sotto, Demanding Accountability and Threatening Exposés
A heated and intensely public feud has erupted between veteran comedian and former “Eat Bulaga!” host Anjo Yllana and prominent political figure, Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (Tito Sen). The confrontation, primarily unfolding across Yllana’s recent live streams on TikTok, has gone far beyond simple political disagreement, quickly delving into personal secrets, financial accountability, and allegations of syndicate activity within the Philippine’s longest-running noontime show.
The controversy is a complex mix of past resentments, political affiliations, and unresolved issues dating back to Yllana’s departure from Eat Bulaga! and Sotto’s recent senatorial campaign.
The Challenge of the “Resibo”: Financial Accountability
The initial salvo from Anjo Yllana focused on a public promise made by Tito Sotto during his 2022 senatorial campaign. Yllana publicly challenged the Senator to provide concrete proof—a “resibo” (receipt or evidence)—that he had honored his pledge to donate his salary to needy scholars.
Yllana asserted the Senator’s own words back to him: “Kayo po ang nangako na ‘yung sweldo niyo ibibigay niyo sa mga mahihirap na mag-aaral na mga kababayan, kaya siguro maglabas na lang kayo ng resibo.” (You were the one who promised that you would give your salary to the poor students among our countrymen, so perhaps you should just release the receipt.)
During his campaign, Tito Sen had vowed that if he were fortunate enough to return to the Senate, he would forgo his salary, dedicating the funds instead to support the education of impoverished students. Yllana’s demand for proof places the Senator’s public commitment under intense scrutiny, framing the issue as one of transparency and integrity.
The Personal Threat: An Alleged 2013 Affair
The feud took a much darker and more explosive turn when Yllana issued a stark personal threat against the Senator. In a live stream on November 3, Yllana threatened to expose the identity of Sotto’s alleged mistress since 2013 if the alleged attacks against him from the Senator’s camp did not cease.
“Gusto mo sabihin ko na kung sino yung kabit mo mula 2013 na pinalakad mo sa akin? Sabihin mo lang, Tito Sen, at iba-box reveal ko na,” Yllana challenged. (Do you want me to reveal who your mistress since 2013 is, the one you had me facilitate? Just say the word, Tito Sen, and I will ‘box reveal’ her.)
Yllana claimed that the Senator has utilized numerous “bayarang vloggers” (paid vloggers) to continuously attack him. He argued that if Sotto’s camp persists with these alleged attacks, he would not hesitate to lay all of the Senator’s secrets bare to the public.
Claims of Syndicate Activity in Eat Bulaga!
Beyond the personal and political attacks, Yllana’s allegations extended to the very heart of Philippine entertainment: the set of Eat Bulaga!. He boldly claimed that a “syndicate” operates within the show, alleging that significant, underhanded activities were happening behind the scenes that needed to be exposed.
Yllana’s rhetoric was defiant, specifically addressing the iconic TVJ trio (Tito, Vic, and Joey) who were synonymous with the show for decades. “Hoy, hindi ako takot sa TVJ! Anong pinagsasabi ninyo? Ilang taon na lang, ilalatag ko na kung ano talaga nangyari diyan sa It Bulaga!” (Hey, I’m not afraid of TVJ! What are you saying? Just a few years more, and I will lay out what really happened in Eat Bulaga!).
He then provided a specific, emotional anecdote involving the show’s former director, Direk Bert de Leon, who helmed the program from 1979. Yllana recounted that before the director passed away, De Leon allegedly wept to him, claiming he was “stabbed in the back” and deliberately slandered to have him removed from his post.
“Si Direk Bert de Leon, mula 1979, ay direktor ng It Bulaga. Bago mamatay, umiyak sa akin kasi pinagsasaksak siya sa likod. Sinisiraan siya para matanggal siya bilang direktor. Pati ‘yung asawa niya na naiwan, umiyak sa akin dahil winalang hiya siya. Oo, plinano. Kaya nga may sindikato diyan sa It Bulaga. Masasama ibang tao diyan.” (Direk Bert de Leon, director of Eat Bulaga! since 1979. Before he died, he cried to me because he was stabbed in the back. He was slandered to get him removed as director. Even his wife who was left behind cried to me because he was disrespected. Yes, it was planned. That’s why there’s a syndicate there in Eat Bulaga! Some people there are evil.)
Senator Sotto’s Calm Dismissal
In response to Yllana’s series of aggressive public attacks and shocking revelations, Senator Tito Sotto maintained a remarkably calm and measured demeanor. The Senator’s statement was one of outright dismissal, opting to prioritize his political duties over engaging in a personal media spat.
The Senator simply stated that he would not engage with Yllana: “Hindi ko na papatulan. Huwag niyong pansinin, nagpapapansin ‘yan. Paninira lang ‘yan. Itaas natin ang level ng Senate Press.” (I will not engage. Don’t pay attention to him, he’s just seeking attention. That’s just slander. Let’s elevate the level of the Senate Press.) Sotto’s strategic refusal to engage aims to de-legitimize the allegations by casting Yllana as merely an attention-seeker.
The Roots of the Conflict: Unpaid Salaries and Political Divide
Yllana’s current aggressive stance against Tito Sen and Eat Bulaga! appears to be rooted in a long-simmering resentment, initially triggered when he felt continuously maligned by the Senator’s supporters.
Anjo Yllana was a co-host on Eat Bulaga! from 1998 until his departure in 2020 after more than 22 years on the show. While he initially posted that his departure was amicable, citing family and scheduling conflicts after the pandemic, later revelations hinted at deeper managerial and financial issues.
In 2023, Yllana publicly appealed to TAPE Incorporated (the show’s producer) to be compensated for what he claimed were five to seven months of unpaid hosting salary. His appeal was prompted after learning that TAPE had allegedly paid Vic Sotto regarding certain delayed compensations, leading Anjo to demand accountability:
“Paki-check naman po. May mga hocus-pocus po kasi dati ‘yan. Sana ma-check ngayon. Lima o pitong buwan, konting compensation. 20 years naman ako sa inyo. Kalahati halos ng buhay ko inalay ko naman sa inyo. Baka pwede namang makita o masilip. Kung nakita niyong ganitong halaga, halaga pa rin ‘yon. Sayang ‘yon.” (Please check. There was some hocus-pocus before. I hope it can be checked now. Five or seven months is a small compensation. I was with you for 20 years. I devoted almost half of my life to you. Maybe it can be seen or looked into. If you saw this amount, it’s still money. It would be a waste.)
At that time, Yllana even thanked TVJ for speaking up about the long-standing salary issues. However, he noted his disagreement with Tito Sotto’s stance that since the VAT (Value Added Tax) was declared to the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue), the salary should be considered paid—a point Yllana vehemently contested, insisting he had not received full payment.
Public Scrutiny: Political Agenda and Lack of Respect
Netizens have reacted with a mix of confusion and criticism regarding Yllana’s sudden, explosive live streams. The timing and nature of the attack, particularly the focus on Tito Sotto’s alleged personal life, have led many to suspect a political motivation, given the known fact that Yllana and Sotto support different political factions.
Common sentiments circulating online include:
Sudden Timing: Comments suggested the outburst was “out of the blue,” questioning why Yllana was suddenly attacking a former colleague and mentor. “Parang out of the blue, bigla na lang siyang nagtatalak sa TikTok niya. Inaano ba kasi siya ni Tito Sotto?” (It seems out of the blue, he suddenly rants on his TikTok. What did Tito Sotto even do to him?)
Betrayal: Many expressed disappointment that the attack was coming from someone who had a long history with Sotto and the Dabarkads (the Eat Bulaga! hosts). They argued that Yllana should have taken the moral high ground sooner, rather than capitalizing on the current political climate.
Lack of Respect: The strongest criticism was reserved for Yllana’s threat to expose the alleged affair. Netizens argued that if he were truly concerned, he should have addressed the issue privately with Sotto’s wife, Helen Gamboa, out of respect. They urged Yllana to focus his energy on more pressing national issues and corruption rather than disrespecting his former colleagues with the public revelation of personal secrets.
The unfolding drama serves as a stark reminder that in the Philippine entertainment and political landscape, past ties and unresolved conflicts can erupt violently into the public sphere, often driven by personal animosity and political alignments.
