Palace starts search for new press secretary

Malacañang has started the search for a new Palace spin doctor to replace Press Secretary Hernani Braganza, administration officials confirmed over the weekend.

Braganza, who is supposed to report back for work today after a month-long medical leave, has reportedly sent word to President Arroyo that he would prefer to go back to his forte of political trouble-shooting.

"He told me he would want to be in political affairs assignment," said Braganza’s close friend Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairman Michael Defensor.

Defensor and Braganza were colleagues at the House of Representatives when they were recruited to join the Arroyo Cabinet in 2001.

The two former congressmen were among the youngest congressmen who banded together and called themselves "Spice Boys" and endeared themselves to the Arroyo camp by joining the bloc that impeached jailed former President Joseph Estrada.

But Palace sources said Braganza’s wish to become presidential adviser on political affairs would create another enemy in the current political adviser Jose Rufino.

The STAR tried but failed to contact both Braganza and Rufino. Rufino is in the United States.

Braganza, a nephew of former President Fidel Ramos, first joined the Arroyo Cabinet as agrarian reform secretary.

But he was tapped as press secretary in a Cabinet reshuffle last December, replacing then press secretary Ignacio Bunye who was "kicked upstairs" as presidential spokesman.

However, Braganza, 38, took a medical leave, supposedly due to blood sugar problems, a month after assuming the post on Jan. 15.

Bunye, one of Braganza’s Cabinet allies, earlier confirmed that Braganza submitted a resignation letter to Mrs. Arroyo on April 23.

Palace sources said Braganza complained about apparently serious differences with Presidential Chief of Staff Rigoberto Tiglao and his deputy Roberto Capco.

Braganza also apparently feels bad about "being left out" of the President’s media plans, especially the formation of the so-called information communications group.