Manila, Philippines — A heated controversy has erupted between Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and veteran broadcast journalist Corina Sanchez’s team regarding an interview conducted with Sarah Descaya, an aspiring candidate for the 2025 midterm elections.

Allegations from Mayor Vico Sotto

Mayor Vico Sotto accused several journalists, including Corina Sanchez and Julius Babao, of accepting payments amounting to as much as PHP 10 million for interviews with businesspeople-turned-politicians like Sarah and Curly Descaya.

In a social media post, Mayor Vico questioned why some political figures are willing to spend millions of pesos just to secure airtime on prominent programs, raising concerns about the ethical standards of the journalists involved.

“While this may not be technically illegal, it undermines the credibility and integrity of the journalism profession,” he stated. He also emphasized that corruption is not limited to government but also permeates the media industry. Breaking this cycle requires collective effort.

Response from Corina Sanchez and Her Team

Shortly after, Corina Sanchez’s team issued an official statement strongly denying the allegations. They asserted that their shows, Corina Interviews and Rated Korina, take pride in their storytelling standards and rigorous production values, focusing on stories of public interest without any investigative or defamatory intent.

They clarified that the interview with Sarah Descaya was a simple narrative of her family’s journey into politics and business success, not an investigative exposé. The team acknowledged that while advertising placements exist, all payments are processed legally with official receipts.

“The claim of a PHP 10 million fee for the interview is baseless and constitutes cyber libel that severely damages Ms. Sanchez’s reputation,” their statement read.

They also noted that all election-related interview videos are removed from their official platforms following elections.

Clarification from Julius Babao

In the same context, journalist Julius Babao clarified that his interviews with the Descaya family were lifestyle features highlighting their business ventures and success stories. He denied receiving any substantial payment for these interviews and stated he was unaware of Sarah Descaya’s political plans at the time of the interviews.

Public Reaction and Conclusion

The controversy has sparked widespread public interest and online debates about journalistic ethics and transparency, especially regarding interviews involving political candidates.

Corina Sanchez’s team defended their long-established credibility and accused the allegations of being politically motivated attacks on honest journalists.

Meanwhile, Mayor Vico maintains his stance that his intent is to expose unethical practices to protect public interest.

The issue continues to unfold as the public awaits further responses from the parties involved.

What are your thoughts on this controversy? Should stricter regulations be implemented to uphold journalistic ethics during political interviews?