Karlo Nograles is Duterte’s acting spokesperson

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles will be Malacañang’s acting spokesperson, President Rodrigo Duterte said during his regular taped “Talk to the People” late Monday, November 15.

Nograles replaced Harry Roque, who left the post on Monday, the same day he filed via substitution his candidacy for a Senate seat.

On top of being Cabinet Secretary, Karlo Nograles is co-chairperson of the COVID-19 task force (IATF). Nograles is also a key political ally and is the executive vice president of the Cusi-led faction of the PDP-Laban, which Duterte chairs.

Prior to his appointment to the Cabinet in 2018, Nograles represented the 1st district of Davao City. Nograles’ father, the late Prospero Nograles, had been a longtime political rival of Duterte. But the adversaries mended ties when Duterte won the presidency in 2016.

The first district, which was considered the Nograles clan’s bailiwick, has since been represented by Duterte’s son, Paolo Duterte.

President Duterte himself is a candidate in the 2022 elections. Just before the deadline for substitution via withdrawal lapsed, he filed his candidacy for senator under Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan, a party allied with PDP-Laban.