For over forty years, “Eat Bulaga!” was more than a noontime show; it was the sacred, comforting institution of the Filipino family. At its head sat the unwavering patriarchs, Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon. Their public image was built on a foundation of laughter, loyalty, and, above all, family values. Tito Sotto, in particular, crafted a dual legacy: that of “Tito Sen,” the respected statesman and former Senate President, and that of the devoted husband to the beloved actress Helen Gamboa.

Today, that legacy is under a savage, targeted, and deeply personal attack. The “Eat Bulaga!” civil war, which began over corporate disputes and copyright, has descended into a scorched-earth campaign. The latest, and most devastating, bomb has reportedly been thrown by Anjo Yllana, a man who was once a “dabarkads,” a member of the “family” for over two decades.

According to explosive new reports, Yllana has gone nuclear. He is allegedly accusing his former mentor and boss, Tito Sotto, of having a secret life, claiming he maintained multiple extramarital affairs.

This is not a vague insinuation. This is a direct character assassination. The report alleges that Yllana has named names. “Kabit umano ni Tito Sen ay sina Mitch, Pookie, Sam at single mom,” the source claims. “Tito Sen’s alleged mistresses are Mitch, Pookie, Sam, and a single mom.”

With those few words, a line has been crossed from which there is no return. This is no longer a professional disagreement; it is a public, moral execution.

This allegation is the “why” that explains the chaos of the past few weeks. It is the “paninira” (slander) that reportedly drove loyalists like the legendary Jimmy Santos to break his long silence. Santos’s furious “resbak” (counter-attack) against Yllana was not just a defense of a boss; it was a desperate attempt to shield the family patriarch from an accusation that strikes at the very core of his identity.

Anjo Yllana, by launching this attack, has changed the rules of the war. He has taken a corporate battle over who owns the “Eat Bulaga!” name and dragged it into the gutter. This is a move so brutal and so personal that it signals a level of desperation and bitterness previously unseen in this feud. To attack “Tito Sen” is to attack the head of the TVJ snake. To attack his fidelity is to attempt to poison his entire public life.

The choice of attack is surgically precise. In the Philippines, a deeply Catholic country, the “kabit” (mistress) accusation is the ultimate social grenade. It is a charge of profound moral failing. For a public figure like Sotto, who has spent decades building an image of a traditional family man and a conservative lawmaker, this allegation is designed to inflict maximum damage. It aims to shatter his credibility, not just as a host, but as a statesman and a husband.

It’s an attack on his 50-plus-year marriage to Helen Gamboa, a woman who is seen as a showbiz icon in her own right. This allegation doesn’t just victimize Tito Sotto; it publicly humiliates his wife and family, turning their private lives into a public spectacle.

This is why the reaction from the TVJ loyalist camp has been so visceral. Jimmy Santos’s rage is now understandable. It is the rage of a loyal soldier watching his general be slandered by a former comrade. It is a defense of the “family” against a member who, in their eyes, has committed an unforgivable act of betrayal.

What could possibly motivate Yllana to make such a career-ending, libelous claim?

One interpretation is that this is the last, desperate act of a losing side. The TVJ trio has been largely successful in the public opinion war. They have the “dabarkads” loyalists (like Santos), they have the audience, and they have the narrative of the “oppressed” legends. Yllana, who chose not to join them, is on the outside looking in. This attack can be seen as a “scorched earth” policy: if he can’t be part of the legacy, he will try to burn the legacy down. By painting Tito Sotto as a moral fraud, he attempts to justify his own decision to leave, reframing it as a moral stand rather than a lack of loyalty.

Another interpretation is that this is a proxy war. “Tito Sen” is not just a TV host; he is a political force. His enemies in the political arena may see an opening, using a disgruntled former co-host as a mouthpiece to launch attacks that would seem too dirty coming from a fellow politician. By alleging “Mitch, Pookie, and Sam,” Yllana is providing the ammunition; Sotto’s political foes are only too happy to pull the trigger.

Regardless of the motive, the damage is done. The “Eat Bulaga!” feud is no longer about who gets to use the theme song. It is about an alleged, secret life. It has forced a conversation that Sotto and his camp never wanted to have. True or false, the allegation is now “out there.” It will live on in YouTube thumbnails, gossip blogs, and social media comment sections forever. It is a stain that, even if proven to be a lie, will never fully wash out.

This also puts the other two members of the triumvirate, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon, in a terrible position. They are now bound by association to this scandal. They must either stand by their “brother” and denounce Yllana as a liar, or stay silent and allow the accusation to fester.

The public, for its part, is now forced to choose. Is Anjo Yllana a courageous whistleblower, speaking a painful truth that the “family” has hidden for decades? Or is he a bitter, vindictive traitor, weaponizing slander to destroy a man who was his mentor for twenty years?

For the millions who grew up watching these men, this is a heartbreaking spectacle. It is the equivalent of watching your uncles fight at a funeral. The “family” they presented on-screen, the one that preached unity, laughter, and “isang libo’t isang tuwa,” has been exposed as a house of cards, collapsing into a pile of bitter accusations, personal hatred, and now, alleged mistresses.

The names “Mitch,” “Pookie,” and “Sam” will echo as the symbols of this war’s ugliest turn. Anjo Yllana may have thought he was landing a knockout blow, but in reality, he may have just signed the death certificate for any remaining goodwill in this feud. The “Eat Bulaga!” family is dead, and its own “son” is the one who allegedly, and publicly, desecrated its patriarch’s grave.