Broadcasters Korina Sanchez and Julius Babao have strongly denied allegations from Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto that they accepted P10 million to interview Sarah and Curlee Discaya, Sotto’s political rivals in the May 2025 elections.
Sotto, in a Facebook post on Thursday, questioned the ethics of prominent journalists granting airtime to political aspirants who were also major contractors linked to government projects. While clarifying that the “P10 million” figure was not exact, he argued that such practices undermine journalistic integrity.
“Before accepting offers to interview contractors entering politics, didn’t these well-known journalists think, ‘Why would they be willing to pay so much just to be interviewed?’” Sotto wrote. He added that while such actions may not technically be illegal, they go against the spirit of the Journalist’s Code of Ethics adopted in 1988, which bars media practitioners from accepting payments that cast doubt on their professional integrity.
Denials from Sanchez and Babao
On Friday, the management of “Rated Korina” and “Korina Interviews” released an open letter rejecting Sotto’s claims. “There is no such thing as a P10 million placement for an interview. This is simply not true,” the producers said, adding that the remarks amounted to cyber libel. They stressed that the Discaya couple was featured because of their rise to public prominence and that their rags-to-riches story was of public interest.
They explained that their interviews are not altered and do not serve as platforms for slander or promotion. “We don’t do puff pieces. Our guests tell their own story,” the statement read. Producers also said they had invited Mayor Sotto himself for interviews in the past, but he repeatedly declined.
For his part, Babao also denied receiving payment for his interview with the couple. He clarified that his September 2024 YouTube feature was a lifestyle story about success and inspiration, not a news report. “At that time, there was no mention of politics from the couple. There is no truth to the claim of P10 million,” he said.
Public Interest or Paid Content?
Controversy deepened after an earlier version of Sanchez’s camp’s statement—since deleted—acknowledged that certain interviews may involve payments similar to advertising, with receipts issued by the network. The revised version removed these details and emphasized that all content undergoes editorial review.
University of the Philippines journalism professor Danilo Arao, in an interview on ANC, noted that if payments were indeed involved, it would violate basic journalistic principles. “There should be no paid segments in materials meant for information dissemination,” he said, stressing that even as media formats evolve, ethical standards remain unchanged.
Context and Fallout
Sanchez’s interview with the Discayas aired on NET 25 in January 2025, while Babao’s feature was uploaded months earlier in September 2024—both before the official campaign period. Despite this, Sotto argued that the timing and framing lent credibility to his rivals at a politically sensitive moment.
Sotto eventually defeated Sarah Discaya in a landslide, securing his third and final term as Pasig mayor. However, the debate has reignited discussions about the blurred line between lifestyle content and political promotion, and whether journalists-turned-celebrities can still be held to the same ethical standards as those in hard news.
For now, both Sanchez and Babao remain adamant that no money changed hands, while Sotto insists the issue is not personal but a reflection of systemic corruption in media and politics.