Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Jay Ruiz yesterday admitted that he still owns a political management company but is in the process of divesting his interests in the firm.
“What they were saying was that I own Digital 8, but I don’t own that. I have another company that will divest from it. It’s a political management firm and there may be conflict of interest involved that’s why I will divest (from that company),” he said during his first formal press briefing with Malacañang-based reporters on Tuesday.
Ruiz also confirmed he owns restaurants and an ice cream house, businesses he established when he was still working as a broadcast journalist.
On Tuesday, the new PCO chief said the personal attacks leveled against him are not only tainting his reputation but are putting his family’s safety at risk adding that he had requested security due to safety concerns.
Ruiz said he suspects that the spate of attacks against him may be connected to the ongoing revamp in his office.
“I don’t know the reason behind this, but I have my suspicions. There are changes happening within the PCO, including a directive for all directors and up to submit courtesy resignations,” he said.
“I just wish I was given the chance to air my side before these allegations were published,” Ruiz added.
The PCO’s new head again strongly denied allegations linking him to a P206-million contract with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), calling the reports “fake news.”
The Palace’s top communicator said he initially considered taking legal action against those responsible for spreading the false information but ultimately decided to focus on his work at the PCO.
However, he said he takes issue with the report first published in an online news site, which claimed his company won the multimillion-peso contract but did not cite any sources or supporting documents.
Ruiz said the accusations were damaging, particularly to his family, and questioned the motivations behind the allegations.
“I don’t own a share; I’m not a stockholder; I am not an owner of Digital 8,” Ruiz said.
I was an authorized representative to represent the company in the joint venture agreement between IBC-13, Digi8, and PCSO. I never owned that company,” he added.
Ruiz, a former journalist, said he served as the head of sales and marketing for Digital 8 in October 2024 but resigned on Jan. 17, 2025, to focus on other business ventures.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Ruiz denies PCSO contract allegations, calls story ‘fake news’.”
