Mocha Uson’s candidacy in 2019 polls draws mixed reactions

FILE: Former Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson. (Photo: MOCHA USON BLOG/Facebook)

Former Communications Assistant Secretary Esther Margaux “Mocha” Uson continues to be the talk of the town, this time after she confirmed that she will be running for office in the 2019 elections.

Uson made this announcement on Monday, October 8, as she denied that she was fired by President Rodrigo Duterte from the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), branding the report as “fake news.”

“Naniniwala po ako na paninira iyan sa pulitika dahil akala nila ako’y tatakbo. Kaya siguro, challenge na po sa akin ‘yan na bibigyan ko po ng boses ang ordinaryong Pilipino kaya… oo, tatakbo na ako (I believe that those attacks were made because they think that I will run. That is why I think this is a challenge for me to give voice to ordinary people and with that being said… yes, I will run),” Uson told reporters at the Senate.

Upon hearing this news, several netizens could not hold themselves back from commenting to Uson’s announcement, with some expressing their disapproval on the former assistant secretary’s candidacy.

One Twitter user, @selwater_alena, said this latest news about Uson is even funnier than GMA’s gag show, Bubble Gang, and the network’s comedy series, Pepito Manaloto.

“Aasa ka pa Ms.Mocha eh kahit pro Duterte AYAW sayo!!! Pinahiya mo na sarili mo ngayon huwag mo ng i-extend hanggang 2019 (You are still hoping to win Ms. Mocha despite being disliked by those who are pro-Duterte. You have already embarrassed yourself now, do not extend it until 2019),” he wrote.

Meanwhile, the month of October has just begun but netizen @Nots0nicer has already decided what she wants to be for #Halloween2018.

“SENATOR MOCHA USON,” she said. “Now that’s scary.”

Twitter user @aRakista55 said he “cannot imagine” what future awaits the Philippines if Uson would win the upcoming elections.

“The good news is that Mocha Uson has resigned as PCOO assistant secretary. The bad news is that the DDS (Duterte die-hard supporters) can’t wait to vote for her as a senator this 2019,” he stressed.

Netizen @http_migs echoed this, adding “welcome to PH government’s version of Series of Unfortunate Events,” referring to the book/series/film of the same name.

Twitter user @astonmartin0323, on the other hand, said he will not be surprised if Uson will win in the elections since “our government is a joke like that.”

Another social media user @etrainwondrlnd urged voters not to waste their precious votes to Uson as the resigned Palace official “doesn’t deserve any position in the government.”

While several netizens were not approved of having Uson in Congress, some of them were also quick to defend her, saying that everyone has the right to run for the upcoming polls.

Netizen @erklmdmd thinks that people should not ‘degrade’ Uson just because of her past.

“People change and sometimes for the better – ‘better’ for herself. Let’s be brutally honest na lang na (that) she is not capable of being a Senator because of her perspectives but not of her past,” she said.

For @EdelizaCarlile, she believes that Uson is “far better than those senators whose interest is just to ruin our country.”

Moreover, @raineserene tweeted that the former assistant secretary will be their “big protest vote” against trapo (traditional politician) senators “who forgot to put the country first before their own businesses or their own interests.”

Other netizens said they will continue to support Uson and vote for her in the 2019 elections.

While confirming that she will seek public office, Uson refused to say what position she will be running for.

Uson, last week, resigned from her post, saying that she made a ‘sacrifice’ for the swift approval of PCOO’s budget proposal for the next year.

Shortly after announcing her resignation, she said she is open to run for the 2019 midterm elections.

Uson has been stirring up controversy since she was appointed by Duterte as Communications assistant secretary.

She recently made headlines, along with her blogger friend Andrew “Drew” Olivar, over their controversial video mocking the sign language and their lewd federalism jingle video.

Uson, who has over five million followers on Facebook, also drew flak for spreading false information on her social media account.

The Office of the Ombudsman earlier said despite Uson’s resignation, they will continue with its investigation on the complaints filed against the former official.

[READ: Ombudsman to pursue probe vs Mocha Uson]