Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro firmly denied allegations that she was behind the removal of Eden Santos, a reporter from Net 25, from the Malacañang beat.
‘HINDI AKO ANG NAGPAPASYA NIYAN. HINDI AKO ANG PRESS SECRETARY’
— Kat Domingo (@_katrinadomingo) July 7, 2025
PCO Usec. Claire Castro denies insinuations that she was behind the Malacañang’s decision to bar Net25 Reporter Eden Santos from covering the President after an alleged protocol breach during an event last month. pic.twitter.com/uyKQXznFHX
In a media interview on Monday, July 7, Castro addressed the controversy head-on, stressing that she has no authority to decide who stays or gets removed from media assignments covering the Palace.
“Unang-una ba’t ko naman po ila-lobby na mawala ang isang reporter dito? Unless mayro’n talagang violation,” she said when asked about the issue.
She also clarified, “Saka hindi po ako ang nagpapasya niyan. Hindi naman din po ako ‘yong secretary. ‘Di naman po ako may hawak ng MARO,” referring to the Malacañang Media Accreditation and Relations Office, which oversees journalist accreditation in the Palace.
Castro added that there was no personal conflict between her and Santos, emphasizing that the reporter was simply doing her job. “Wala po akong isyu sa kanya. Nagtatanong lang siya kapag may coverage, at trabaho niya naman ‘yon,” she said.
The issue began when the PCO sent an official letter to Net 25 management requesting that Santos be removed and replaced as the network’s assigned Palace reporter. This sparked speculations that Castro had influenced the decision due to her position and interactions with members of the press corps.
However, Castro stood her ground, explaining that the request made by the PCO to Net 25 was an internal matter and not initiated by her. She reiterated that such decisions involve multiple considerations and are handled by designated offices within the communications agency.
The removal of a reporter from the Malacañang beat is a rare and sensitive move, often perceived as a serious matter within media circles. Santos, known for her pointed questions during press briefings, has not yet publicly commented on the issue.
Dapat diyan kutusan, matigas talaga ang ULO niyan.
— AJ Planet (@AJPlanetFriends) July 6, 2025
Unethical talaga ito EDEN SANTOS ng INC/Net 25, hindi sumusunod sa security protocol ng PSG at ng Palace PCO when covering the President. pic.twitter.com/R5o2ck2KGr
The PCO has yet to release an official statement detailing the reasons behind the request to replace Santos. Meanwhile, members of the Malacañang Press Corps are closely monitoring the situation, with some expressing concern about potential implications on press freedom.