Why did Dong quit as head of ABS-CBN News?

It started as a rumor which was finally confirmed by the man in the middle of it – yes, lawyer Ricardo "Dong" V. Puno.

It’s true: Dong has resigned as senior vice president of the ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs. Here’s the official statement he sent to The STAR:

In a recent meeting with ABS-CBN management, I expressed a desire to be relieved of my corporate duties as senior vice president of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs, and focus my energies on greater on-air and on-camera involvement in various platforms of the ABS-CBN network, in both television and radio. ABS-CBN management has graciously agreed to work with me in making the necessary arrangements to accommodate this request. I am not, therefore, leaving ABS-CBN.

Okay, does the whole thing stop there?

Not quite.

Deep-penetrating sources at ABS-CBN said that Dong’s reason is much too "flimsy," he has been hosting the public-affairs show Dong Puno Live (Thursday nights) for almost a year now despite a management policy against management people hosting shows.

The STAR reported last month that the Dong Puno Live timeslot might be replaced by a new show called Straight From the Shoulder to be hosted by Cito Beltran who was recently replaced as Karen Davila’s co-anchor of the ABS-CBN late-night newscast Insider.

"Just between us," said the ABS-CBN DPA, "there’s no love lost between Dong and Cito. One of them doesn’t like the other but I won’t say who."

The ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs department was once headed by Arlene Sinsuat-de Castro who has retired in favor of helping her husband, Vice President Noli "Kabayan" de Castro. With Dong’s resignation, the department will reportedly be temporarily helmed by Monchet Olives, right-hand man of ABS-CBN head Gabby Lopez.

Now, does the whole thing stop there?

Not quite yet.

According to another equally-deep-penetrating source, Dong is mulling an offer to be a member of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s cabinet.

Oops! If that happens, Dong shall have swung from one end of the political tightrope to the other. If you recall, Dong was the press secretary of President Erap Estrada until he resigned in 2001 to run for Senator (he lost).

Oh, well. As you know, in showbiz as in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies, only non-permanent positions. – Ricky Lo