Mocha still has Duterte’s trust, confidence amid controversy – Palace

Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson (File photo by RICHARD A. REYES / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson still enjoys the trust and confidence of President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang said on Thursday, even after she got embroiled in another controversy.

“She hasn’t been fired. For as long as she hasn’t been fired, she enjoys the trust and confidence, because all presidential appointees serve at the pleasure of the President,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.

Uson was again entangled in a controversy after she uploaded on Facebook a video of the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. being kissed by his supporters inside a plane after a self-imposed exile.

She compared this to Mr. Duterte’s controversial kissing of a Filipina in Seoul, South Korea recently.

But the late senator’s youngest daughter, actress Kris Aquino, took offense over Uson’s actions.

Kris Aquino from her IG

On Wednesday, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go said Uson would apologize to Kris after Duterte said he was “sorry for the incident.”

But Uson remained unapologetic, saying: “With all due respect to everyone involved, I decline to apologize for the truth.”

Sought for his comment on the matter, Roque said he was not “privy” to the issue and would rather refer questions about the incident to Go.

“I am not privy to information on this regard, on this issue,” he said.  /kga