MANILA – Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson stepped down from her post, calling the move a “sacrifice” she was willing to make for the passage of the Presidential Communications Operations Office’s 2019 budget.
Uson announced her resignation Wednesday during her appearance at the Senate committee on finance hearing on the PCOO’s proposed budget.
President Rodrigo Duterte already received Uson’s resignation letter Tuesday but has yet to formally announce his acceptance, according to Special Assistant President Christopher “Bong” Go.
Uson described her resignation as a “sacrifice” she was willing to make so that lawmakers would easily approve the budget of the presidential communications office.
“Taon-taon ay sinasabihan ako na huwag punahin ang ilang mga mambabatas para hindi ipitin ang budget ng PCOO. Nakakagalit man ngunit ganyan ang sistema natin sa kasalukuyan,” she told senators.
“Bulok man ang sistema ngunit ito kailangang sundin. Dahil diyan, ako na po ang magsasakripisyo para maipasa na ang budget ng PCOO. Ako po ay nagdesisyon na mag-resign na po,” she added.
Uson, an entertainer and rabid pro-Duterte blogger prior to getting appointed to Malacañang, branded her ordeal as a fight against her detractors.
Citizens, on social media or otherwise, critical of her for the controversies she got into while in public office – particularly her involvement in the spread of misinformation – have been calling for her resignation, if not her ouster.
“Para sa mga bumabatikos sa akin, huwag kayong magkakamaling isipin na nagtagumpay kayo. Hindi ako nagbitiw sa posisyon dahil takot ako sa inyo. Gusto ko lang na kapag magkaharap tayo, patas ang laban,” Uson said.
“Dadalhin ko ang laban sa Senado at Kongreso. Hindi ito katapusan ng laban. Umpisa pa lamang po ito,” she added.
Supporters were urging her to run for senator or representative.
In an ambush interview after her announcement, Uson said she is open to running in the 2019 mid-term elections but her decision will depend on public pulse.
“Senator, Congress, hindi ko po alam, pero open po tayo. Kasunod po ng sinabi ni Pangulo na let the people decide,” she said. “Mahiya naman kayo. Matagal nang pare-parehong mukha ang nandiyan (sa Kongreso).”
For now she returns to blogging. “Balik ako sa pagiging blogger,” said Uson, who handles the Facebook page “Mocha Uson Blog.” “Kung paano ako nagsimula na ipaglaban si Pangulong Duterte at iyong mga walang boses sa lipunan ay mas doble. Bakbakan na talaga ito.”
Prior to being a presidential communications official, Uson was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as a board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.
But her stint with the PCOO was riddled with controversies, from spreading unverified reports online to her constant attacks on the critics of Duterte.
The latest among such controversies were her videos with another pro-Duterte blogger, Andrew Olivar, making light of the federalism campaign with lewd dance movements and mocking the deaf community./PN
