MANILA, Philippines – Ang kampo ng news anchor na si Korina Sanchez-Roxas ay nagsalita kamakailan sa post na ginawa ni Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, na sinasabing ang ilang beteranong mamamahayag ay nagsasagawa ng mga bayad na panayam sa mga guest na sangkot sa pulitika.
Ipinalabas ng kampo ni Sanchez ang kanyang panig noong Biyernes ng hapon matapos mag-post si Sotto ng larawan nila at ng broadcaster na si Julius Babao kasama ang mag-asawang Discaya na sina Curlee at Sarah, kasama ang caption na nagsasabing ang ilan sa guests ay nag-alok na magbayad ng P10 milyon para sa isang panayam.
Parehong sinabi ng mga programa ni Sanchez ang ”Korina Interviews” at “Rated Korina” na ipinagmamalaki nila ang kanilang standards sa storytelling at production.
“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, the topic is talked about,” ayon sa pahayag.
“Second, we don’t do ‘Hit’ pieces, so no bashing, criticizing, or slandering other personalities or businesses. Third, and by the same token, we don’t do ‘Puff’ or ‘vanity’ pieces; subjects simply tell their life story,” dagdag nito.
Ayon sa kampo ni Sanchez, maraming mga personalidad na ang na-feature sa dalawang palabas sa loob ng ilang dekada, kabilang ang mga kamag-anak ni Sotto — sina Sen. Tito Sotto, Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chief Lala Sotto, at ang kanyang bise alkalde na si Dodot Jaworski.
“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, they are talks of the town. Their sudden prominence in the public eye makes for public interest. We do not presume our interviewees as evil nor as angels,” ayon pa sa kanila.
“Their rags-to-riches life story is their story to tell. It was aired no more, no less. Should there have been anything untrue about what they claimed, it was and is up to the accuser to point this out,” dagdag pa nito.
Sa viral post, binanggit ni Sotto na bagaman hindi technically illegal ang interview na ginawa, dapat mahiya ang mga broadcasters sa kanilang ginawa.
“They can hide in gray areas: ‘this is not journalism… more of a lifestyle… it needs a sponsor…’ but let’s not fool ourselves. They rose to national prominence as broadcast journalists/news personalities; they [should] invest in their reputation and credibility… and in this path, it is also the reputation and credibility that they lend to the corrupt in exchange for [money],” ayon sa alkalde.
Sinabi rin ni Sotto na “systemic” ang katiwalian sa bansa at hindi lang ito nangyayari sa gobyerno.
“But we can slowly but surely break this cycle if more and more of us consistently do our part, wherever we are and whatever our position may be, one step at a time,” dagdag niya.
Si Sarah Discaya ang kalaban ni Vico Sotto sa pagka-alkalde noong nakaraang 2025 midterm elections. RNT/MND
