Ex-Duterte vlogger RJ Nieto gets Palace assistant secretary post

MANILA, Philippines — Former pro-Duterte vlogger Rey Joseph “RJ” Nieto, who was behind the now-unpublished Thinking Pinoy blog, has been appointed assistant secretary at the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.

In a letter dated Sept. 1, 2026, Marcos said Nieto may qualify and perform the duties of the office upon furnishing the Office of the President and the Civil Service Commission with copies of his oath of office.

Nieto confirmed his appointment in a Facebook post, where he shared his appointment letter and said he had yet to take his oath of office.

"There are still a few formalities to complete before I begin work," Nieto said.

He said Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos would decide his exact portfolio, adding that the Cabinet Secretary's office monitors whether government programs are being properly implemented and whether services are reaching the public.

Nieto said he is unlikely to work in communications, describing the position as not a spokesperson role.

"From what I understand, much of the work will be closer to my academic training. That suits me. Mahal ang Botox, kaya bawal ma-stress unnecessarily," he said.

Nieto became known for his Thinking Pinoy blog, which he started in 2015 and used to publish political commentary.

In October 2018, Nieto pleaded not guilty before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 111 to a libel complaint filed by then-Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

Trillanes accused Nieto of libel over a social media post claiming that then-US President Donald Trump had called Trillanes a “narco,” or drug lord.

Nieto was eventually acquitted in the case in June 2021.

In a separate case, blogger Jover Laurio, who ran Pinoy Ako Blog, filed a complaint against Nieto in 2018 over the publication of her personal information, including her full name, user credentials and law school.

The Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 132 later ruled in Laurio’s favor in the data privacy case. Nieto was ordered to pay P300,000 in damages and P50,000 in attorney’s fees and litigation expenses for violating the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Nieto previously served as a part-time instructor at Bulacan State University and a columnist for Manila Bulletin.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with first-class honors from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom in June 2026. He is also pursuing a part-time MSc in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Public Policy at University College London.

"I spent the past years studying mathematics in the University of Bristol. That training taught me to look carefully at evidence, systems and complex problems. Sana magamit ko iyon sa trabaho," Nieto said.

(I spent the past years studying mathematics in the University of Bristol. That training taught me to look carefully at evidence, systems and complex problems. I hope I can use that in my work.)

He also acknowledged that he still has much to learn, saying, “government is not a classroom.”

"Marami pa rin akong kailangang matutunan," he said.

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