MANILA – Palace Press Officer Claire Castro denied rumors that she is being considered as the next secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Unang-una po, hindi po natin alam kung saan nagsimula iyan so wala pong katotohanan iyan (First of all, we do not know where this started, so there is no truth to that),” Castro told reporters in Malacañang when asked about the circulating reports that she might replace Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who was recently appointed as the new Ombudsman.

When asked if a shortlist for the DOJ post has been finalized, Castro said there is no available information yet.

“Ngayon, wala pa po sa ating naibibigay na anumang detalye patungkol po diyan. Pero once na nabigay po sa atin, sa inyo ko po unang sasabihin (At this time, we have no details to share about that. But once we receive any information, you will be the first to know),” she said.

Castro was appointed undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Office in February 2025 and currently serves as the Palace press officer.

In the meantime, Justice Undersecretary Fredderick Vida has been designated as the DOJ’s officer-in-charge pending the appointment of Remulla’s successor. Vida, who heads the DOJ’s Financial, Administration, and Personnel Cluster, previously served as mayor of Mendez-Nuñez town in Cavite province.

(PNA)