20 years after, Judy Ann Santos revisited the infamous 2005 tax evasion case that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) had filed, which the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) had dismissed in 2013.

When Santos spoke on the “Moment To Moment” podcast, which is hosted by life coach and author Pia Acevedo, she talked about how difficult it was to have to fight for her name.

“Hindi ko napansin na dalawang araw akong tulog tapos may isang mahabang pause ako na nagawa nung araw na nagising ako at na-realize ko na pagod na pala ako. Sa laban na ito, wala akong kasama. Ang daming nangyayari na hindi ko naiintindihan,” Santos confided in Acevedo.

“Unang kaso sa buong bahay ko – ‘yung proseso, ‘yung mugshots, lahat ng kamera, nakatutok sa ‘yo,” Santos continued.

She went on to say that individuals tend to separate themselves from situations when they are not benefiting from them. “‘Pag wala ka pa lang kikitain, ikaw lang mag-isa,” she highlighted.

She added, “‘Pag may kinikita ka, biglang ang dami mong kasama. Pero ‘pag may problema kang pagdaraanan — na puwedeng sumabit ang mga pangalan nila — biglang wala silang kinalaman (pakialam) sa ’yo.”

The Kapamilya superstar pointed out that the BIR dispute had assisted her in realizing her own “worth” and “freedom.”

She didn’t know how much she was paid while working as an advertiser and actor during her stint in show business. “Wala akong alam kung talaga ‘yung binabayad sa akin.”

She continued, saying that it had given her a voice, “If that didn’t happen, I will never find my worth and I will never learn how to stand up for myself and have a voice. [Doon nagsimula na] tumatapang na ako at nasasabi ko ‘yung gusto kong sabihin.”

She claimed that in the end, her freedom came from claiming that voice.