Naglabas ng pahayag ang National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) tungkol sa usaping kinasasangkutan ng veteran broadcasters na sina Julius Babao at Korina Sanchez.
May kaugnayan ang pahayag ng NUJP sa kontrobersiyang nag-ugat sa Facebook post ni Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto tungkol sa magkahiwalay na panayam nina Babao at Sanchez sa mag-asawang Sarah at Curlee Discaya bago naganap ang halalan noong Mayo 12, 2025.
Read: Mayor Vico Sotto calls out broadcasters over Discaya interviews
Kabilang ang construction companies na pagmamay-ari ng mga Discaya sa listahan na inilabas ni President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na nakakuha ng malaking porsiyento sa flood control projects ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Kinukuwestiyon ang nakagugulat na kayamanan ng mga Discaya — base sa feature interviews nina Babao at Sanchez— na nakamit daw nila nang magkaroon sila ng mga proyekto sa DPWH.
Binanggit din ng mag-asawa ang Diyos nang sabihin nilang ginamit silang instrumento ni Lord para magsilbing inspirasyon sa mga nangangarap guminhawa ang pamumuhay.
NUJP STATEMENT
Sa inilabas na statement ng NUJP nitong Linggo ng gabi, Agosto 24, 2025, pinaalalahanan nila ang mga kasamahan sa industriya na ang paghingi at pagtanggap ng pera, regalo, at iba pang uri ng bayad, kapalit ang paborableng coverage ay banta sa "editorial independence."
Kinakain daw nito ang tiwala sa kanilang propesyon at sa mga nasa industriya.
Pinapalakas din daw nito ang naratibong nabibili at naibebenta ang dyornalismo, taliwas sa kritikal na tungkulin ng mga mamamahayag bilang "watchdog" laban sa korapsyon sa gobyerno at sa pribadong sektor.
Pahayag ng samahan ng mga Pilipinong mamamahayag: “The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines reminds colleagues that soliciting and accepting money, gifts and other forms of compensation in exchange for favorable coverage threatens editorial independence.
“It also erodes trust in our profession and in its practitioners and plays into the narrative that journalism can be bought and sold, undermining its critical role as a watchdog against corruption, whether in government or the private sector."
Read: Korina Sanchez camp slams Mayor Vico Sotto's "slanderous" FB post
COMMON PRACTICE IN THE PROFESSION
Ngunit idiniin ng NUJP na ang mga alegasyon laban kina Sanchez at Babao ay kailangan pang patunayan.
Tanggap daw ng grupo na ang paghingi at pagbayad ng content ay karaniwan nang ginagawa sa kanilang propesyon bunsod ng ilang mga kadahilanan.
Saad ng NUJP: “We acknowledge, however, that the allegations against Korina Sanchez and Julius Babao have yet to be substantiated.
“We acknowledge, too, that solicitation and undisclosed paid content are common practices in the profession.
“In some cases, this is a matter of survival in an industry where many colleagues are paid minimum wage or less for their work.
“In some newsrooms, media workers are forced to seek advertisers and sponsors for their salaries or are forced by circumstance to augment their pay with 'allowances' and 'gas money' for coverage.
“Others accept PR work for local politicians, government agencies or corporations to get by.
“In most cases, these circumstances do not apply to wealthy media personalities, but unethical practice persists across the industry, from high-profile journalists to struggling reporters and correspondents."
Read: Julius Babao, itinangging tumanggap ng P10M sa Discaya interview
Nilinaw ng NUJP na ang mga realidad na ito ay hindi dahilan upang palusutin ang mga paglabag sa Journalists' Code of Ethics na sinusunod nila mula 1988, kundi upang maunawaan kung bakit ang ilang kasamahan nila ay nahaharap sa "ethical dilemmas and at the mercy of political and business interests."
Pagpapatuloy ng grupo: “We note these realities not to excuse practices that violate the Journalists' Code of Ethics that we adopted in 1988, but to provide context as to why some colleagues find themselves in ethical dilemmas and at the mercy of political and business interests.
“The media community has long been aware of these conditions and the dangers they pose to the ethical practice of the profession. It has been working tirelessly to address these.
“We call on colleagues to revisit and reaffirm ethical guidelines through resources available online, including NUJP’s Ethical Guide for Filipino Journalists."
Hinimok din nila ang mga tagapamuno na siguraduhing patas ang ibinabayad sa staff at correspondents.
Mahirap daw sundin ang "ethical practice" sa kanilang propesyon gayong ang basic needs ng media practitioners ay hindi natutustusan.
Saad nila: “We also urge news managers to make sure staff and correspondents are compensated fairly.
“Ethical practice is difficult, if not impossible, when even media workers’ basic needs are not met.
“Difficult as it is, we cannot take pride in calling ourselves journalists without adhering to the basic standards and guiding principles of the profession.
“NUJP is ready and has been working with colleagues and with media and press freedom groups for a safer, better and more ethical practice of journalism in the country.”
Read: Arnold Clavio, tinawag na "iresponsable" ang alegasyon ni Mayor Vico Sotto