The scandal became a significant part of Philippine pop culture history, often resurfacing in political discourse or when either figure faces public scrutiny.
The scandal erupted in the 1980s when a Betamax tape surfaced showing Vivian Velez and Rudy Fariñas in a sexual act. The tape was reportedly circulated by Fariñas himself, marking him as one of the key figures in this early celebrity sex scandal. According to one account, "For most people, Ilocos Norte Representative Rudy Fariñas came into our consciousness when he circulated a Betamax video of actress Vivian Velez and him — where they stripped into their birthday clothes, among other things they did on and off camera." vivian velez betamax scandal with mayor farinas work