Mocha Uson resigns, mulls entering politics

MANILA, Philippines — Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson resigned yesterday in what she described as a “sacrifice” to pave the way for Congress’ approval of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) budget and at the same time give her the freedom to hit critics of the Duterte administration.

While Uson has resigned, she said the “fight has just started.”

Uson announced her resignation during deliberations on the proposed P1.41-billion PCOO budget for 2019 before the Senate finance subcommittee chaired by Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, as she accused leftist lawmakers of holding hostage the agency’s budget in retaliation to her criticisms of them.

“For those who have been criticizing me, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you have succeeded. I did not resign because I’m afraid of you. I just want that when we face each other, the fight is fair,” Uson, who is also a popular blogger, said in Filipino.

“One day, we will face each other. But unlike you, who hide behind your positions, I’m ready to fight as an ordinary Filipino along with those without a voice in our society,” Uson warned.

Flanking the controversial official when she made her statement at the Senate was her boss, Secretary Martin Andanar, and other PCOO officials.

Andanar did not make any response.

Uson thanked Andanar and President Duterte for giving her a chance to be a public servant.

After announcing her resignation, Uson asked to be excused from the budget deliberations as she is no longer an official of the agency.

Uson lamented that her critics in the House of Representatives used her absence in the plenary deliberations to block the passage of the PCOO’s budget on Tuesday when she was on official business as member of the Philippine delegation to the UN General Assembly in New York.

Uson said the militant House members were getting back at her for her reports on how the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army were using the helpless lumads in their attempt to oust Duterte.

Uson said she grew tired of the “system” where every year, she was being asked not to criticize certain lawmakers so that the PCOO’s proposed budget would not be blocked.

“This system angers me. But rotten as it may be, I have to follow it so because of that, I will make the sacrifice,” Uson said.

Uson said she has been accused of all kinds of sins but she has not responded in full out of respect for Andanar. She said critics in the House should be ashamed since Duterte was “untiring in working to put our country in order.”

‘The fight is on’

In announcing her resignation, Uson also indicated that she might run for the Senate or the House as she warned critics that the “fight has just started.”

Uson referred reporters’ queries on the details of her resignation to Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go. – With Christina Mendez, Helen Flores, Jess Diaz

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