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Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto recently sounded the alarm on what he described as questionable practices in the media—paid interviews with controversial figures who later enter politics. His remarks quickly went viral and have since drawn responses from well-known broadcasters Julius Babao and Korina Sanchez.

In a Facebook post last Thursday, August 21, Sotto questioned why some journalists would accept multi-million peso payments in exchange for interviews. Without naming names, he hinted at viral interviews featuring contractor-turned-political aspirant Sarah Discaya and her husband Curlee.

“Before accepting an offer to interview this kind of figure, didn’t it cross their minds—‘Why would someone be willing to pay ₱10 million just to be interviewed by me?’” Sotto wrote. He admitted the figure was not exact but emphasized that such practices compromise credibility, even if they are not technically illegal.

“They can hide behind grey areas… but let’s not fool ourselves. Their capital is their reputation, and in arrangements like this, they end up renting out that credibility to the corrupt,” he added.

Julius Babao Denies ₱10-Million Deal

Veteran broadcaster and content creator Julius Babao, whose name was drawn into the discussion after his past interview with the Discayas resurfaced, quickly issued a clarification.

Babao stressed that his feature on the couple was done almost a year ago, long before Sarah Discaya announced her mayoral bid in Pasig. The interview, still available on his Unplugged YouTube channel, was presented as a lifestyle piece, not a news report.

“Unang-una, ang interview na yan ay hindi isang news report. Ito ay lifestyle feature para sa YT channel ko na naglalabas ng mga inspiring success stories,” Babao explained. “Walang katotohanang may ₱10 million na involved for this interview. The vlog’s aim was simply to inspire viewers with a rags-to-riches story.”

He added that at the time of the interview, no political plans or government project controversies involving the Discayas had yet surfaced.

Korina Sanchez’s Camp Pushes Back

Korina Sanchez, through a statement released by Rated Korina and Korina Interviews, also defended her platforms following Sotto’s post. The statement emphasized that their shows are lifestyle and storytelling programs—not investigative journalism.

“Firstly, in choosing subjects and topics for our shows, there must be public interest in it, plus a story to tell. Second, bashing or criticizing or slandering other personalities or businesses is strictly disallowed. Third, subjects simply tell their lifestory,” the statement read.

It clarified that the Discaya interview was conducted between November 2024 and January 2025, well before campaign season. The camp admitted that businesses or personalities sometimes make advertising payments to networks, but firmly denied any ₱10-million placement for the feature.

“There is no such thing as a ₱10 million placement for an interview. It is irresponsible to even say such, to say the least,” the statement said, calling Sotto’s remarks “malicious” and “tantamount to cyber libel.”

The statement also defended Sanchez’s long-standing career and credibility, adding that she had repeatedly reached out to interview Sotto himself in the past but was always declined.

The Bigger Conversation

While both Babao and Sanchez have denied the insinuations raised by Sotto, the mayor’s broader point remains: corruption is systemic and often crosses into industries beyond politics.
“We can slowly but surely break this cycle if more of us consistently do our part, wherever we are and whatever our position may be—one step at a time,” Sotto reminded the public.

The exchange has since ignited wider discussions online, not only about media ethics but also about the blurred lines between journalism, lifestyle features, and paid promotional content—issues that continue to test the boundaries of credibility in the digital age.