Rep. Villarin returns own UST award as sign of protest

Photo from Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin

Another Thomasian alumnus has returned his award to the University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association Inc. (USTAAI) to protest the recognition the university gave to Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson.

Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin returned his award to the USTAAI on Wednesday morning as he slammed the “lies, vitriol and violence” peddled by government officials, including the entertainer-turned Malacañang official.

“I have returned my award to USTAAI this morning,” Villarin said in a statement to the media.

“Amid all the lies, vitriol and violence peddled by government officials like Mocha Uson, people will rally around the truth,” he said.

“I salute the Thomasian community for standing up against this raging darkness foisted as a ‘new normal,’” the opposition lawmaker added.

Filipino-American novelist Bino Realuyo also returned the award conferred to him by the USTAAI, saying he was demoralized by the organization’s recognition of Uson.

“As a protest of your decision to support a political propagandist who thrives in attacking the highest ideals of Philippine democracy, I am returning the award given to me,” Realuyo said in a Facebook post.

Late Tuesday, the organization’s president Henry Tenedero announced his resignation following the controversy.

The USTAAI, however, maintained that it would not revoke the award. /jpv

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