Ricky Carandang leaves ABS-CBN to join Noynoy government

Ricky Carandang, ANC anchor and correspondent, submitted his resignation to ABS-CBN on Friday, July 10, which the network accepted, reports ABS-CBNNews.Com

ABS-CBNNews.Com sources say Carandang has agreed to join the communications team of President Noynoy Aquino III. On June 14, President Aquino admitted in a media briefing that they were courting Carandang to join the government, "Not as press secretary, but [he] will help us in the media group," Aquino said, adding, "We really want to engage the citizenry and part of that is the communications strategy."

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa said they were also talking to Manolo Quezon III to be part of the communications team, whose structure, composition and choice of leader is still being finalized, according to Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, reports ABS-CBNNews.Com. The team will include the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and government-owned television and radio stations.