MANILA – Hoping to be a “voice of the ordinary Filipino,” resigned presidential communications official Esther Margaux “Mocha” Uson announced that she will seek an elective position in the 2019 midterm polls.
But Uson, an entertainer and blogger prior to her appointment to the Presidential Communications Operations Office, did not say what position she will run for.
“Yes, tatakbo ako sa 2019,” Uson said during her appearance in a Senate hearing on the PCOO’s proposed budget for 2019.
“Kung ako nga na ganitong klaseng tao ay sinisiraan ng ganyan, papaano na ang mga walang boses? Dapat magkaroon ng boses ang ordinaryong Pilipino,” said Uson, who resigned as PCOO assistant secretary last week.
Previously Uson was silent on the possibility of her seeking an elective position even though President Rodrigo Duterte was encouraging her to throw her hat in politics.
But the fierce Duterte defender opened up on the possibility of running for either senator or representative after announcing her resignation, a move she described as a “sacrifice” she was making for the easy approval of the PCOO’s budget.
Uson was reportedly being considered as a nominee for the ACTS-OFW party-list, currently represented by Aniceto “John” Bertiz III.
WAS SHE FIRED?
Meanwhile Uson denied an online report that Duterte fired her in September for being “abusive and arrogant” and upon the prodding of some PCOO officials and employees.
Over her dwIZ radio show with blogger Andrew Olivar on Monday, Uson threatened to press charges against the reporter if the report is not recanted.
“Papaanong nangyari na ako ay sinibak ng Presidente kung ako ay may resignation paper,” she said. “Binabalaan ko ang naglabas ng balita na iyan na bawiin niya iyan dahil kung hindi ay magdedemanda ako.”
Citing an anonymous source from Malacañang, Inquirer.net reported on Monday that Duterte fired Uson and has not spoken with her since September.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go both belied the report and insisted that Uson resigned.
Rappler.com also reported that nine PCOO officials asked Duterte to remove Uson from the presidential communications arm.
A source privy to the letter signed by nine officials of the PCOO and its attached agencies confirmed this, the news website said.
In the letter handed to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea in August, the communications officials appealed to the President for Uson’s “immediate removal from PCOO,” Rappler reported./PN
