MANILA – Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Deputy Administrator Margaux “Mocha” Uson admitted that her erred Facebook post that was branded as “fake news” was a “honest mistake.”
Appearing before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday, Uson said that her only intention was to inform the public that the government is not neglecting frontliners.
The NBI summoned Uson last week to explain her use of a photo from a private group to accompany a Facebook post about the government’s purchase of personal protective equipment.
“Kaya nga du’n sa post ko, nai-share ko ‘yung good news na mayroong ginagawang aksyon ang gobyerno na mag-provide ng PPE sa ating mga frontliners,” Uson said.
Last month, Uson posted on her Facebook page about the delivery of some 15,000 sets of PPEs purchased by the Department of Health but the photo she used in the post was from SM Foundation.
“Eh nagamit ko ‘yung photo na ‘yun mula sa Philippine Star na respetadong mainstream media, broadsheet. ‘Yun pala mali din sila ng nagamit na larawan. So ‘yung impormasyon na gusto kong i-share sa publiko [ay] may ginagawa ang gobyerno para pangalagaan ‘yung frontliners natin. Nagkamali lang, honest mistake ‘yung sa photo,” she added.
The Philippine Star published a story about the delivery of 15,000 sets of PPE bought by the Department of Health on April 2.
An editor’s note on the article posted on news website Philstar.com reads: “An earlier version of the story showed a photo of healthcare workers of The Medical City in personal protective equipment. The PPE shown in the photo were donated by SM Foundation, which did not reflect in the earlier copy. A new photo showing a delivery of health supplies from the Department of Health was replaced to accompany the story.”
This was not the first time that Uson drew flak for posting “fake news” through her Mocha Uson Blog Facebook page./PN
