PCO chief: Mon Ilagan won't replace Claire Castro as Palace press officer

Presidential Communications Office Acting Secretary Dave Gomez on Monday clarified that former broadcast journalist Mon Ilagan would not replace Atty. Claire Castro as Palace Press Officer.

This was after Gomez confirmed to reporters that Ilagan was appointed as PCO Undersecretary for operations.

A longtime broadcast journalist and former mayor of Cainta, Ilagan was named earlier this year as Transportation Assistant Secretary and executive director of the Office of Transportation Cooperatives, an attached agency of the Department of Transportation.

Gomez also responded to queries if Ilagan will replace Castro as Palace press officer. Both Ilagan and Castro hold the rank of PCO Undersecretary.

As Palace press officer, Castro leads regular Palace press briefings and communicates President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s directives, policies, and stand on issues of the day.

“He will not replace Usec Claire. Spox and Press Office Officer pa rin si Claire. Sa operations si Mon,” the PCO Acting Secretary said.

(He will not replace Usec. Clair. Claire is still the spokesperson and Press Office Officer. Mon will focus on operations.) — JMA, GMA Integrated News