SINGER-ACTRESS Ciara Sotto has denied rumors romantically linking her to basketball player James Yap.
Speculation started spreading online after a post claimed that the two were “100% confirmed” to be dating or that their alleged relationship was an “open secret.”
When asked about the rumors, Ciara was quick to clarify: “No, he’s a friend. He’s a good friend of mine. Matagal na kaming magkaibigan.”
She explained that their friendship goes way back to Yap’s days as a player for the Purefoods franchise. “Kilala ko na siya, Purefoods days pa. Kasi, teammate sila ni Marc Pingris,” she said. Pingris is married to Danica Sotto, Ciara’s cousin and one of her closest family members.
Some observers noted that the two have occasionally been seen working out at the same gym, which may have fueled the speculation.
Ciara, who is currently single, did not rule out the possibility of dating in the future but said her current focus is on raising her son, Crixus.
“Majority of my time, talagang naka-focus ako sa pagpapalaki ng anak ko,” she said, noting that Crixus is actively involved in sports and even competes abroad.
