A blogger long associated with the Duterte-era online support base, Rey Joseph “RJ” Nieto, has entered government service, with the Office of the Cabinet Secretary confirming his designation as Assistant Secretary. His placement puts him within the office led by Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos, who assumed that role in July 2026 after previously heading the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Nieto built his public profile through Thinking Pinoy, a commentary platform covering national politics that is no longer accessible online. Alongside that work, he held teaching duties on a part-time basis at Bulacan State University and produced opinion pieces for the Manila Bulletin before moving into his new role.
His academic record has featured in recent accounts of his career. He completed a mathematics degree at the University of Bristol in England, finishing with first class honors in June 2026, and is now enrolled in a master’s program at University College London, taking the coursework remotely through a flexible study arrangement.
The appointment revives attention on two legal matters that trailed him for years. One involved a cyberlibel complaint lodged by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV; Nieto was cleared of that charge in 2021, having been represented at no cost by the law office linked to Liza Araneta-Marcos, the current First Lady.
The other proved less favorable to him. In 2023, the Makati Regional Trial Court ruled against Nieto in a civil suit centered on the Data Privacy Act of 2012, which he was found to have violated by exposing the identity of Jover Laurio, the writer who had operated Pinoy Ako Blog without disclosing her name. According to Rappler, the court concluded that Nieto had gathered and released Laurio’s private details “maliciously and with ill intent,” among them her name, her blog login credentials, and the law school she was attending. Inquirer reported that the same decision directed him to pay P350,000, broken down into P100,000 each for nominal, moral, and exemplary damages plus P50,000 covering attorney’s fees and litigation costs.
