On August 2025, Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto brought to attention interview features of Curlee and Sarah Discaya which was released online from September 2024 to January 2025.
| Type | Vlog / Television segments |
|---|---|
| Hosts | Julius Babao Korina Sanchez |
| Guests | Curlee Discaya Sarah Discaya |
| Videos | Julius Babao Unplugged September 2024 Rated Korina November 24, 2024 Korina Interviews January 5, 2025 |
The videos, one by Julius Babao and two by Korina Sanchez were alleged to be undeclared paid placements by Sotto raising journalist ethics issues concerns.
Background
edit| External videos | |
|---|---|
| September 2024 Discaya interview | |
 | |
 "Exclusive! Ate Sarah at Kuya Curlee, Dating Mahirap na Naging Bilyonaryo!" at Julius Babao Unplugged |
Curlee and Sarah Discaya are a couple who are linked to Alpha and Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corporation, St. Timothy Construction, and St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corporation, contractors which has projects with the Department of Public Works and Highways. (DPWH).[1][2]
Their "rags-to-riches" stories has featured in Julius Babao's interview of the couple in September 2024 and in Korina Sanchez's feature of Sara Discaya in her shows in November 2024 and January 2025.[1][3]
Sarah ran for the position of Mayor of Pasig in the 2025 election. She lost to incumbent Vico Sotto.[4]
Release
editThe release details for the three features are as follows:[3][5]
| Work | Series | Host | Guest(s) | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Exclusive! Ate Sarah at Kuya Curlee, Dating Mahirap na Naging Bilyonaryo!" (lit. 'Sarah and Curlee, Formerly Poor who Became Billionaries!' | Julius Babao Unplugged | Julius Babao | Curlee Discaya Sarah Discaya |
September 2024 |
| "Kaya ni Hubby, Kaya ni Wifey!" | Rated Korina | Korina Sanchez | Sarah Discaya | November 24, 2024 |
| "A Victim of Bullying, Now a Politician" | Korina Interviews (Net 25) | Korina Sanchez | Curlee Discaya Sarah Discaya |
January 5, 2025 |
The Rated Korina and Korina Features features was later removed from YouTube.[3]
Paid placement allegations
editOn August 11, 2025, President Bongbong Marcos flagged the top 15 contractors involved in the government's flood control project for possible irregularities in his 4th State of the Nation Address. On the same day Pasig mayor Vico Sotto on Facebook highlighted that Alpha & Omega, St. Timothy, and St. Gerrard are owned by the Discayas.[4]
Sotto on August 21, discussed the three videos and alleged that the Discayas paid ₱10 million to be featured by prominent journalists in their shows. However he did admit that the alleged placement money Sotto gave is not the exact figure. While he provided screenshots of features hosted by Korina Sanchez and Julius Babao, he did not explicitly name the two journalists.[4]
Responses from Babao and Sanchez
editBoth Julius Babao and Korina Sanchez rejected the allegation of being paid ₱10 million for their respective features.[6]
Babao also underscored that his interview with the Discayas are not a news report but a lifestyle feature and politics was not raised at the time during the feature's production.[6]
Viktory 8 Media, the producers of Rated Korina and Korina Interviews, said that Sanchez only became aware of Sarah Discaya's impending mayoral bid at the day of the January 2025 interview. They insist they do not produce either "hit" or "vanity" pieces and that Sotto's claim constitutes cyberlibel.[6][2][1] They issued two statements with the phrase "there are payments for certain businesses such as that of the Discayas, products, personalities, companies, or politicians much like payments made for advertisements" removed from the second statement.[1]
Babao went on leave from being a newscaster in Frontline Pilipinas of TV5 from August 25, 2025.[7]
Journalist ethics
editThe National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) while maintaining that Sotto's allegation is unsubstantiated, that journalist being compensated in exchange for "favorable coverage" of their benefactors is unethical.[8][9]
Investigations on luxury vehicles
editThe Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue that they would open their respective investigations regarding the ownership of the 40 luxury vehicles featured in one of the interviews.[10][11]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Garcia, Nic (August 22, 2025). "Korina Sanchez's show producers release 'official statement,' reiterate Vico Sotto's post on 'paid' interviews constitutes cyber libel". Philstar Life. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ a b Chi, Cristina (August 22, 2025). "Korina Sanchez' producers defend Discaya feature, deny payment for interview". The Philippine Star. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c Gabinete, Jojo. "Interview ni Korina Sanchez kay Sarah Discaya, burado na sa YouTube" [Interview of Korina Sanchez with Sarah Discaya, now deleted in YouTube]. PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Mayor Vico Sotto calls out broadcast journalists over alleged paid Discaya interviews". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ "'No such thing as P10M': Korina Sanchez's team responds after Vico Sotto slams interview with Discayas". Politiko.com.ph. August 22, 2025. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c Esquierda, Abegail (August 22, 2025). "Sanchez, Babao deny P10M from Discayas after Vico Sotto remarks". Daily Tribune. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ "Julius Babao "on leave" sa primetime news program ng TV5 sa gitna ng isyu". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. August 25, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ Cua, Aric John Sy (August 24, 2025). "Vico Sotto's viral post sparks ethics debate, elicits response from journalists". The Manila Times. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ Clores, Keith (August 24, 2025). "NUJP to journalists: Revisit and reaffirm ethical guidelines". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ "BIR, iniimbestigahan na ang luxury cars ng mga Discaya". PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ Macairan, Evelyn (August 26, 2025). "BOC To Probe 40 Luxury Cars Of Contractor Couple Discaya". BOneNews.PH. Retrieved August 28, 2025.