DICT chief stays amid resignation rumors, Palace and Aguda confirm

Malacañang on Wednesday denied reports circulating on social media that DICT Secretary Henry Aguda had resigned.

Photo from DICT

Hold your horses, he stays as DICT head

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the reports were untrue. She said she had spoken with Aguda directly and that he remains in office as head of the DICT.

Aguda also issued a statement through the DICT's official page:

I am aware of the reports circulating regarding my position as Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

At this time, I remain focused on carrying out my responsibilities and ensuring the continuity of the Department's work. In particular, as the Philippines hosts ASEAN this year, it is important that DICT continues to effectively fulfill its role in advancing our regional engagements on technology and innovation, including the ASEAN AI MSME event this week.

As Secretary of DICT, I serve at the pleasure of the President, and I fully recognize and respect the President's prerogative in matters concerning his Cabinet and his administration.

My focus remains on carrying out my responsibilities and serving the Filipino people to the best of my ability."

The rumors emerged amid public criticism of several recent DICT decisions. Among the most prominent was a 24-hour ban on Discord, which affected gamers, students, developers, remote workers, and some government operations.

What do you guys think?

Sources: Presidential Communications Office, DICT