Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro on Tuesday refuted claims of a personal dispute with Net25 journalist Eden Santos following the Presidential Communications Office’s (PCO) move to request her replacement from the Malacañang beat.
In an interview with DZMM, Castro distanced herself from the controversy, stressing that she was not involved in the incident that triggered the issue—where Santos reportedly approached President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. without clearance during an event in June.
“Hindi ko alam kung bakit siya nagti-trending…Alam mong may gusto lang kunin na sagot para magtrending. So wala sa akin ‘yan. Pero kung ‘yan ang gusto nilang angguluhan, e di wow,” she said, downplaying the online buzz surrounding the matter.
The Malacañang Press Corps earlier pushed back against the PCO’s request to have Net25 assign a different reporter, calling it an overstep of its mandate. However, Castro clarified that there is no blanket ban on Net25, unlike previous instances under the Duterte administration, which barred certain media outlets.
Castro explained that Santos approached the President during a critical moment—while he was being mic’d up for a scheduled media interaction. “Palapit kasi [ang Pangulo] kasi lalagyan ng mic… So instead na hintayin ang Pangulo lumakad, sinalubong ni Eden. So yung iba, sumunod na rin because of her,” she said, implying a break from security protocol.
According to Castro, the PCO’s request is not an attack on press freedom but a matter of ensuring proper conduct and adherence to protocol. “Palitan lang naman. Marami sila magagaling doon unless isa lang ang magaling nila… So ‘yun lang,” she remarked, referring to the possibility of assigning another capable reporter who won’t repeat the violation.
She also emphasized the importance of following procedures around the President, especially in light of security concerns. “Ang Presidente talaga dapat, sinesecure,” Castro said, noting that even she does not approach Marcos without prior clearance.
