On September 16, seasoned broadcast journalist Karen Davila once again clarified that she does not accept any form of payment whenever she features politicians on her YouTube or interviews.
She explained via her twitter account, noting that out of all the years she spent as a journalist, she has “never been paid or accepted money to interview a politician” in any of her programs.
I have been in news for 28 years. I have never been paid or accepted money to interview a politician in any of my programs – be it today on my youtube channel.
No, I do not get paid to feature or interview politicians. Thank you. https://t.co/kPd4L3upmc
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) September 16, 2021
Her explanation came after a netizen, in a now-deleted tweet, sarcastically asked the broadcaster if she was paid to interview Vice President Leni Robredo through her YouTube channel.
But such question was not the first since Davila, a journalist of 28 years, previously admitted in an interview with Ogie Diaz that she was offered money countless times, particularly when she was still doing radio shows.
“Alam mo ang pinakamalaking attempt sa suhol? Sa radyo. Kasi sa radyo, hindi mo alam ang komentaryo eh. Napakadali,” said Davila.
However, Davila did not accept any bribery since her reputation as a notable journalist might be tainted.
“Ito po ang masasabi ko sa inyo na talagang with a straight face is all the times na I have been offered, I have never taken a single centavo in my life. Because I felt ayoko babuyin ‘yung propesyon ko,” she emphasized.
According to the 50-year-old journalist, she gets hurt whenever people accuse her of accepting bribes especially when she had a name and reputation to protect.
“So ako po, okay binabash ako, tinitira ako, masakit ‘yun. No one can say ‘Wow bayaran ‘yan’ and you know, I’m being accused of that.
“That hurts me because it hurts me when you’ve made such an effort na hindi gawin ‘yun tapos ‘yun pa ang ititira sa’yo,” lamented Davila.
“But what’s important is, well, the Lord knows, but my bosses know. For me, important na alam ng mga boss ko sa ABS ‘yun, ng mga kasamahan ko,”
The “bayad ka ba?” question got used against Davila after Toni Gonzaga drew the ire of the public after she featured Bongbong Marcos on her YouTube vlog.
For the years she spent as a professional journalist, Davila has earned more than 20 awards in the field of professional journalism from both local and international organizations, including an award from the New York Festival and the Ten Outstanding Young Men Awards for Broadcast Journalism in 2008.
She was also among Asia Magazine’s People of the Year in 2013 as well as a recognition from the Senate of the Philippines as one of the Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS).
Esquire magazine even named her the Sexiest Woman Alive in 2015, citing beauty and brains as the sheer formula for the declaration.
