Presidential Communications Office (PCO) chief Jay Ruiz on Tuesday refuted claims that he co-owned a media company that allegedly secured nearly P200 million worth of contracts from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
Ruiz denied having any ownership stake in Digital 8 Inc., the firm that reportedly landed deals to handle production and broadcast of PCSO’s lotto draws through the government-run International Broadcasting Corporation.
“Hindi naman ako may-ari,” Ruiz said in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo, clarifying that he only served as the company’s authorized representative for marketing and sales starting October 2024. He added that he resigned from the post on January 17, prior to his appointment as PCO chief.
“All they had to do was research with the [Securities and Exchange Commission]. Tingnan mo ‘yung may-ari, nandiyan ba ‘yung pangalan ko? Wala. 2012 yata nabuo ‘yang kumpanya na ‘yan,” he added.
Ruiz criticized the report for failing to get his side of the story.
“Balanse ba iyon? Hindi ‘di ba? Isa lang panig ang pinakinggan mo eh. Unang-una, wala ngang dokumento iyong istorya,” he told Palace reporters. “Ano ‘to demolition job? Fake news ba ‘to? Ano ang dahilan?”
He explained that the only firm he is currently divesting from is a political management company involved in election-related work. Ruiz said his other businesses, including two restaurants and an art gallery, pose no conflict of interest with his role in the PCO.
Following the spread of the report, Ruiz disclosed that he sought security for his family over safety concerns, claiming the false allegations have caused them mental distress and fears of being targeted.
“Kinakailangan natin itong labanan. Sumusobra na e. Walang regulation, walang responsibility, walang code of ethics. Ano ba ito, hindi naman pupwedeng ganyan,” he said, noting that the PCO is now studying the creation of an Office of Fact-Checking to combat misinformation.
