A quiet storm may be brewing inside the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) after at least 17 officials were unceremoniously let go last Monday — including three top executives from the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), according to a highly-reliable DAILY TRIBUNE source.
The internal purge reportedly swept out two Deputy Director Generals and one Assistant Deputy Director General, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Sources close to the matter say officials at the director and assistant secretary level were also shown the door.
Now, all eyes are on PCO Secretary Jay Ruiz, whose position may be more precarious than it seems.
Ruiz’s appointment was conspicuously left untouched by the Commission on Appointments (CA) before Congress adjourned. While DICT Secretary Henry Aguda's CA hearing was merely deferred due to “lack of material time,” Ruiz’s ad interim appointment was completely snubbed.
Insiders suggest this silence may be deliberate — and ominous.
Talks within Palace circles say Ruiz has been hinting at the many vacancies soon to open under his watch. But the real buzz is that he might be next on the chopping block.
One persistent rumor: veteran broadcaster Anthony “Ka Tunying” Taberna was reportedly offered the top post, but turned it down.
Now, with the Office of the Executive Secretary said to be reviewing Usec-level officials next, speculation is intensifying that the purge has only just begun—and that Ruiz could be the next casualty in a high-stakes shake-up.
With power plays underway and key roles hanging in the balance, the question looms larger than ever:
What’s next for Jay?