Robredo hits Mocha over false post: Why let gov’t pay a fake news purveyor?
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday threw shade at controversial pro-Duterte blogger and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Deputy Administrator Margaux “Mocha” Uson, whom she accused of spreading misleading information about her recent visit to Taal blast victims.
Robredo said it’s an affront to taxpayers that the government is compensating Uson for propagating “fake news”, particularly when she posted on her “Mocha Uson Blog” Facebook page that the Vice President only gave pan de sal to each evacuee when she visited them in Batangas.
“Ako lang, parang sobrang insulto sa taumbayan na tayo iyong nagpa-pasuweldo ng isang taong ginawang trabaho iyong pagpapakalat ng fake news,” she told reporters in an event held in Caloocan City.
(For me, it’s a grave insult to the people that we’re paying a person who is spreading fake news.)
“Halimbawa, iyong pinaka-recent ngayon, pumunta daw ako ngayon, gumastos daw ako ng grabeng pera ng taumbayan, ang binigay ko lang daw pan de sal. Wala namang masama sa pan de sal. Pero parang insulto naman ito sa dami ng taong nag-donate sa amin.”
(For example, the most recent was that I reportedly went there, spent a lot of people’s money, and I only gave pan de sal. I mean there’s nothing wrong with pan de sal. But I think this is an insult to the many people who donated to us.)
“Ako, parang masyado namang petty na pag-awayan pa namin iyong laman. Pero iyong pinakapunto ko, bakit hinahayaan natin na iyong nagpapakalat ng fake news, sinusuwelduhan pa ng pamahalaan? Pera natin ito,” Robredo added.
(For me, it’s petty that we would argue about the donations. But my point is, why do we let a purveyor of fake news be paid by the government? That’s our money.)
The Vice President further pointed out that the salary of Uson does not just come from some government officials and that to merely let the people’s money be used to enable the corruption of people’s minds is an immoral thing.
Prior to being appointed as a government official, Uson was the leader of the sexy girl group Mocha Girls. She was also a known staunch supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, maintaining a blogging/vlogging page that has 5.8 million followers.
Before being designated at OWWA, Uson was a Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary. She resigned from the Presidential Communications Operations Office in October 2018 amid the controversy brought by the controversial video “pepedederalismo.”
