RJ Nieto

Rey Joseph "RJ" Pengson Nieto, (born January 26, 1985) known also by his alias Thinking Pinoy, is a Filipino blogger and opinion columnist.

He writes an op-ed column for the Manila Bulletin and also owns a blog site, where he publishes his opinions on Filipino politics.

A well-known and vocal supporter of Rodrigo Duterte, he has drawn controversies and faced legal proceedings for allegations of libel and spreading disinformation, as well as his counter-criticisms against he and the administration's critics.

Rey Joseph finished high school in 2002 at St. Mary's College of Baliuag.

He attended the University of the Philippines Diliman majoring in Mathematics but later dropped from school in 2005.

He studied for a short time at the University of the Cordilleras, before moving to the University of London, studying BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and Economics.

He worked as a columnist reporter at the Sunstar Davao local newspaper in 2010.

According to an interview on the now-defunct Concept News Central, ThinkingPinoy.net started in November 2015.

name="concept"> The About page also claimed that RJ Nieto “started this hobby in mid-November, when he created the infographic in RapplerX.

The infographic was shared over 20,000 times across several social media platforms.” His Facebook page, ThinkingPinoy.net, which functions as an extension/mirror of the website, has 1.6 million+ followers as of August 2021.

Nieto has posted fake news and misinformation multiple times on his blog and Facebook page.

RJ Nieto served as a co-host for the political podcast and radio program Karambola sa DWIZ 882, together with Jonathan dela Cruz, Trixie Cruz Angeles, Conrad Banal and Larry Gadon from 2016 to 2020.

The podcast simultaneously broadcasts on Facebook Live, YouTube Live and to analog radio receivers.

Nieto was hired in July 2017 by the Department of Foreign Affairs as its social media consultant and was tasked to be its "head of strategic communications for migrant workers' affairs".

He reportedly resigned in November 2017, a week after attending a Senate hearing which discussed fake news.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority offered Nieto a consultancy post to help it promote its projects especially the major endeavours under the Duterte administration's Build! Build! Build! infrastructure program but the blogger declined the offer.

On November 3, 2017, Nieto on his radio program Karambola on DWIZ urged then Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque to throw a concrete hollow block at journalist Pia Ranada.

The NUJP denounced Nieto for threatening Ranada on air and added that Nieto may have committed a crime.

The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP - Association of Broadcasters of the Philippines) reprimanded Nieto for making a personal attack against Ranada and found him guity of violating the Broadcast Code, in which Article 4, Section 1 states: "Personal attacks, that is, attacks on the honesty, integrity or personal qualities of an identified person, institution or group on matters that have no bearing on public interest are prohibited."

The KBP also called out Aliw Broadcasting Corporation which runs DWIZ for allowing Nieto to go on air even if he lacked KBP accreditation.

Nieto has been allegedly involved in doxxing, and a cyberlibel case has been filed against him by blogger Jover Laurio, the author of Pinoy Ako Blog.

In 2018, Nieto was also indicted for libel for posting on his blog that U.S. President Donald Trump called former opposition senator Antonio Trillanes a narco or drug lord.

Nieto filed a not guilty plea and refused to comment on the case, telling reporters, "Let's just wait for the trial."

His indictment for the criminal libel case filed against him by Trillanes has been criticized as a backward step by freedom of expression advocates who lobby for the decriminalization of libel.

By June 2021, Pasay RTC Judge Wilhelmina Jorge-Wagan eventually acquitted Nieto, four years after the case was filed.

Pinoy Ako Blog user Jover Laurio wins her data privacy violation case against blogger RJ Nieto or Thinking Pinoy following March 31, 2023 decision of the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 132, found Nieto guilty of violating Republic Act No. 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

RJ Nieto is openly gay and has talked about it on his blog posts.

He has also produced videos together with transgender vlogger Sass Rogando Sasot tackling gender issues along with showbiz and politics on their podcast KanTalk.

The duo have notably expressed support for the passing of the pro-LGBT and anti-discrimination SOGIE Equality Bill into law.

RJ Nieto has his own weekly op-ed column on Manila Bulletin titled Thinking Pinoy, with the first article published on October 18, 2019.

Nieto still writes on his column as of August 2021.

Currently, Nieto has his own show on SMNI News, called Thinking Pinoy on SMNI (or TP on SMNI), a weekday radio and TV program commentary on topics of national interest and political issues together with co-host Admar Villando.

First guest on the first episode was former senator, Bongbong Marcos.

The show faced mixed comments and eventually became a hit on the network.

Before TP on SMNI, Nieto first appeared as a co-host on the show Usaping Bayan with Mike Abe on the same channel in September 2020.