Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Dave Gomez has set 18 July, Friday, as the deadline for officials under his department to submit their “unqualified courtesy resignations” as he begins a “performance audit” of the agency.

Gomez confirmed that he had issued a memorandum to the entire PCO staff on 14 July.

“Yes. Just [your] standard transition practice while I do [the] performance audit,” he said in a message to Palace reporters.

In the memo, the move is said to give Gomez a “free hand to perform his duties and responsibilities.”

Among the officials asked to hand in their courtesy resignations are individuals holding the ranks of undersecretary, assistant secretary, and director of the PCO.

Also included are heads of agencies and political appointees of the PCO’s attached agencies.

While Gomez conducts his performance audit, PCO officials are directed to continue their work and perform their usual duties and responsibilities, “subject to any modification that the new leadership of PCO may deem proper to adopt in the meantime.”

Meanwhile, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said she would comply with the directive.

Castro joined the PCO in February after Jay Ruiz assumed the agency’s top role.

She also explained that Gomez should be given the “leeway” to choose the people he will work with at the PCO.

“It would be better if he knew someone who could serve the people,” she said in a radio interview on Wednesday.

Gomez is the fifth PCO secretary under the Marcos administration. He replaced former journalists Jay Ruiz, who was appointed to the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan, Cesar Chavez, Cheloy Garafil (now MECO Chair), and Trixie Cruz-Angeles.