Mariing pinabulaanan ng kampo ni Korina Sanchez ang pahiwatig ni Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto na binayaran umano ang programa ng beteranang broadcaster ng PHP10 million para sa interbyu kay Sarah Discaya.
Ito ang sagot nina Ferdie Dugay at Catherine Torres Lulu, executive producers ng Rated Korina at Korina Interviews, respectively. Ang mga nabanggit na programa ay lifestyle magazine shows na hinu-host ni Korina.
Read: Mayor Vico Sotto calls out broadcasters over Discaya interviews
Eksaktong 11:47 P.M. ng Agosto 21, 2025 nang matanggap ng PEP Troika ang kopya ng open letter ng Rated Korina at Korina Interviews para kay Mayor Vico.
Tinawag ng mga tagapamahala ng programa ni Korina na "slanderous" at "cyber libel" ang anila'y walang basehang akusasyon ng alkade.
Ang eksklusibong panayam ni Korina kay Sarah ay umere sa Net25 at YouTube channel ng TV network noong January 5, 2025.
Asawa ni Sarah ang negosyante ring si Curlee Discaya.
May-ari sila ng St. Gerrard Construction, isang private contractor na maraming building infrastructure projects sa bansa.
Si Sarah ay nabigong talunin si Vico noong May 2025 elections. Landslide victory ang buong Giting Ng Pasig, ang partidong pinangungunahan ni Vico.
Read: Julius Babao, itinangging tumanggap ng P10M sa Discaya interview
MAYOR VICO SOTTO THROWS SHADE AT KORINA SANCHEZ
Itinuro ni Mayor Vico na pag-aari ng pamilya Discaya ang dalawa sa 15 construction companies na sangkot sa diumano'y maanomalyang flood control projects sa bansa.
Ang isyu tungkol sa flood control projects na inuugnay sa 15 construction companies ay galing sa pahayag ni Presidente Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa kanyang press conference noong August 11.
Dawit sa mga maanghang na mga pahayag ng alkalde ang batikang broadcaster na si Korina, pati na rin si Julius Babao na may hiwalay na interbyu sa mag-asawang Sarah at Curlee Discaya.
Kinuwestiyon ni Mayor Vico ang aniya'y kahiya-hiya at labag sa code of ethics ng journalists na panayam sa mga Discaya.
Hindi raw ba nagtaka ang broadcast journalists kung bakit sina Discaya ay handang "magbigay ng 10 million" kapalit ng lifestyle feature sa TV program na kanilang hinu-host.
Idiniin din ng alkalde na hindi raw excuse na "lifestyle" ang anggulo o may "sponsor" ang interbyu.
Bahagi ng tirada ni Mayor Vico: "...pero wag na tayong maglokohan.
"They rose to national prominence as broadcast journalists/news personalities;
"puhunan [dapat] nila ang kanilang reputasyon at kredibilidad na pinahihiram nila sa mga corrupt kapalit ng [pera]."
May disclaimer si Mayor Vico na "not an exact figure" ang binanggit niyang PHP10M na binayad umano ng pamilya Discaya kapalit ng interbyu.
Sabay dugtong ng alkalde, "pero alam nyo na."
Ang punto raw ni Mayor Vico: "Let’s remember that corruption is systemic... it permeates into every sector of society, not just government.
"But we can slowly but surely break this cycle if more and more of us consistently do our part, wherever we are and whatever are position may be, one step at a time."
Sabi rin ng alkalde: "I know for a fact that there are many good, honest people in media who are disappointed, if not angered, at practices like this which undermine the integrity of their profession.
Hindi tuwirang binanggit ni Mayor Vico ang mga pangalan nina Korina at Julius sa kanyang maanghang na Facebook post kahapon, August 21.
Pero kalakip ng FB post ang screenshots ng hiwalay na panayam nina Korina at Julius sa mag-asawang Discaya.
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KORINA SANCHEZ CAMP CLAPS BACK
Bumuwelta ang kampo ni Korina.
Base pa rin sa official statement ng Rated Korina at Korina Interviews, ipinunto nila na bersyon ni Sarah ang "rags-to-riches story" na binahagi nito sa programa.
Hindi raw trabaho ng programa na kuwestyunin iyon, dahil hindi raw investigative piece ang episode.
Ang trabaho raw ng programa ay iere kung mayroon mang aapela sa nilabas na istorya.
Katuwiran pa ng mga tagapamahala ng Korina Interviews, ilang beses daw nilang sinubukang kunin din si Mayor Vico para makapanayam sa programa.
Ipinaalam pa raw kay Coney Reyes, ina ng alkalde, ang tungkol sa feature story tampok ang mag-asawang Discaya.
Pero lagi raw tumatanggi ang alkalde sa request ng programa.
May iba pang pasaring ang executive producers ng show ni Korina laban kay Mayor Vico.
Hindi raw porke nahalal itong alkalde ay may karapatan na itong pag-initan ang "seasoned journalists" dahil lamang sumalang sa kanilang platforms ang kalaban ni Mayor Vico noong nagdaang eleksyon.
Nilinaw rin ng executive producers ng show ni Korina na hindi raw si Korina ang may kontak sa mag-asawang Discaya.
Nalaman lang daw ni Korina kung sino ang kapapayanamin nito noong mismong araw ng interbyu.
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KORINA SANCHEZ CAMP FULL STATEMENT
Narito ang kabuuang open letter ng Rated Korina at Korina Interviews (published as is):
"Dear Mayor Sotto,
"The platforms Korina Interviews and Rated Korina both take pride in its standards in storytelling and production. Both shows are multi awarded by credible award giving bodies through the years. Our host Ms. Korina Sanchez Roxas has her esteemed place in the industry for very sturdy reasons.
"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. This is no investigative piece.
"The stories of many, many personalities including politicians and public figures (including your own uncle Sen. Tito Sotto and your cousins VM Gian Sotto and MTRCB Chief Lala Sotto who we have featured as well), real estate developers or sportsmen and the like —— have been the content of Rated Korina for decades. The same have been the content of several other magazine shows and interviews of many hosts from all the networks.
"In the case of the Sara and Curlee Discaya interview, their rags to riches story is their story. While the feature in itself was never intended to be investigative but simply a success story, should there have been anything untrue about what they claimed after airing last year, it was and is up to the accuser to point this out. And we will air it if verified.
"In fairness to Ms. Sanchez, our host interviewer, she only found out she was interviewing a Pasig mayoralty candidate on the day itself and it was not Ms. Sanchez who was in contact with the couple for the interview.
"We have reached out to your camp a few times since your former mayoral term and even informed your mother, Ms. Coney Reyes, about this feature story on the Discayas—- but you had always declined requests for an interview.
"When this interview was conducted it was well before campaign period, aired in November 2024 and January 2025. Yes, Mayor Sotto, there are payments for certain businesses such as that of the Discayas, products, personalities, companies or politicians much like payments made for advertisements —— and these go to the network with an official receipt issued to client.
"There is no such thing as a P10Million placement for an interview. It is irresponsible to even say such, to say the least. As your malice is posted on Facebook and publicly besmirches the reputation of Ms. Sanchez, this clearly constitutes cyber libel.
"To insinuate that our show is irresponsible in that we only air what is paid for is slanderous.
"Who are we to presume our interviewees as evil with no basis or evidence long before they come into controversy?
"Are we also to presume you are guilty of overpricing the construction of government buildings just because your opponent thinks so?
"Are we to automatically deduce you are grandstanding at the expense of others because this is your last term and are planning to run for higher office?
"Only someone of inferior intellect and juvenile reasoning if not someone utterly deluded and un-Christian would publicly make such conclusions.
"Mr. Mayor, just because you won your seat of public trust, this does does not put you in a position of authority over editorial prerogative nor does it give you license to cast doubt against the integrity of seasoned journalists only because they interviewed your opponent (who did not say anything against you in said shows) and that you refuse to be interviewed.
"The Discayas, on the other hand, are not allowed to use the interview video they are propagating and their attention shall be legally called on this matter. All interviews of those who ran for office have also been taken down from our official sites, right after elections.
"We hope your issues have been clarified and we will be happy to entertain any more of your confusions. While we recognize free speech and the platforms with which we express opinions, there is also such a thing as thoughtful restraint that benefits truth and fairness. We all claim to be CHRISTIAN, after all."
updated STATEMENT from executive producers of korina's shows
Bandang 1:57 P.M. nang makatanggap ang PEP ng text message mula kay Korina Sanchez tungkol sa official statement na naka-post sa Facebook page ng Rated Korina.
Isa rin itong open letter na pirmado ng dalawang executive producers na namahala sa interbyu ni Korina kay Sarah at Curlee Discaya.
"Dear Mayor Sotto,
"The platforms Korina Interviews and Rated Korina both take pride in its standards in storytelling and production. Both shows are multi awarded by credible award giving bodies through the years. Our host Ms. Korina Sanchez Roxas has her esteemed place in the industry for very sturdy reasons.
"Firstly, we choose subjects and topics for our shows, because there is public interest, pinaguusapan ang topic Second, we dont do 'Hit' pieces, so no bashing, criticizing or slandering other personalities or businesses. Third , and by the same token, we dont do 'Puff' or 'vanity' pieces; subjects simply tell their lifestory.
"The stories of many personalities including politicians and public figures (including your own uncle Sen. Tito Sotto and your cousins VM Gian Sotto and MTRCB Chief Lala Sotto or your Vice Mayor Dodot Jaworski who we have also featured), —— have been the content of Rated Korina for decades. It is the same for several other magazine shows and interviews of many hosts from all the networks.
"In the case of the Sara and Curlee Discaya interview, pinaguusapan sila. Their sudden prominence in the public eye makes for public interest. We do not presume our interviewees as evil nor as angels. Their rags to riches lifestory is their story to tell. It was aired walang dagdag at walang bawas.
"Should there have been anything untrue about what they claimed, it was and is up to the accuser to point this out.
"We have reached out to your camp a few times since your former mayoral term and even informed your mother, Ms. Coney Reyes, about this feature story on the Discayas—- but you had always declined requests for an interview.
"The Discayas are not allowed to use this interview video for other purposes because it is company and network property.
"This interview was conducted and aired well before campaign period. All interviews of those who ran for office were also taken down from our official sites.
"Finally All content aired is transparent and meets the strict standards of the airing stations and is with the approval of station management.
"There is no such thing as a P10Million placement for an interview. This is simply not true. Malicious insinuations posted on Facebook and which publicly besmirches the reputation of our shows or Ms. Sanchez, clearly constitute cyber libel.
"While we fully respect freedom of speech and opinion and the platforms in which these are aired and posted, there is such a thing as thoughtful restraint which benefits truth and fairness.
"We hope your issues have been clarified and we will be happy to entertain any more of your questions.
"With due respect to your office,
"Ferdie Dugay
"Executive Producer
"Rated Korina
"Catherine Torres Lulu
"Executive Producer
"Korina Interviews"
Nananatiling bukas ang PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) sa anumang pahayag ng mga personalidad na nabanggit sa artikulong ito.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published at 3:29 A.M. and has been since updated at 8:22 P.M. to include the updated open letter of the executive producers of Rated Korina and Korina Interviews.