Veteran broadcaster Korina Sanchez has denied claims made by Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto that her programs accepted ₱10 million in exchange for an interview with contractors-turned-political aspirants Sarah and Curlee Discaya.
On Friday, August 22, the executive producers of ‘Rated Korina’ and ‘Korina Interviews’ released an open letter addressed to Sotto following his Facebook post questioning the interviews. The statement, signed by Ferdie Dugay and Catherine Torres Lulu, called the allegations “simply not true” and warned that such insinuations could amount to cyber libel.
“There is no such thing as a ₱10 million placement for an interview. Malicious insinuations posted on Facebook, which publicly besmirch the reputation of our shows or Ms. Sanchez, clearly constitute cyber libel,” the producers said.
The statement also defended the editorial integrity of Sanchez’s programs, emphasizing that they choose subjects based on public interest. According to the producers, the Discayas’ sudden prominence made them newsworthy, and their “rags-to-riches life story” was aired “without additions or omissions.”
They further stressed that interviewees are not allowed to use the video material for campaign purposes and that the Discaya feature was produced well before the campaign period.
“All content aired is transparent and meets the strict standards of the airing stations and is approved by station management,” the statement added.
Sanchez’s team also noted that other members of the Sotto family, including Senator Tito Sotto, Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, and MTRCB Chairperson Lala Sotto, had also been interviewed by the program in the past, underscoring its long-running tradition of featuring public figures.
Fellow broadcaster Julius Babao, who also interviewed the Discayas in 2024, denied that the feature had any political agenda. Speaking to PEP’s Jojo Gabinete, Babao clarified that the interview was a lifestyle profile, not a political endorsement.
“It was a profile feature of a couple who rose from rags to riches because of their different business ventures. At that time, there were also no issues yet related to their government projects. What they only wanted then was to share their success story with the public,” Babao explained, dismissing the ₱10 million claim as baseless.
Mayor Sotto, in his original post, questioned the ethics of journalists who agree to interview contractors seeking political office, suggesting that large sums of money may be involved. He clarified that the ₱10 million figure was not exact but described such alleged arrangements as “shameful” and a violation of journalistic ethics.
LionhearTV remains open to publishing Mayor Sotto’s side on the issue.
