Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III made public on Monday, August 6, his disappointment on Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson for her video about federalism which earned criticisms from her co-government officials and the public.
Pimentel, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) President and a known federalism advocate, said he was not angry with Uson over the controversial video but “disappointed that the ‘best and the brightest’ appointed to this government can come up with only that kind of bullsh*t.”
Recently, President Rodrigo Duterte’s Consultative Committee (Con-com) tapped Uson to help in an information drive about federalism.
On Thursday, August 2, Uson shared a Facebook live video where her co-host in the “Good News Game Show,” Drew Olivar, was seen dancing and gesturing to his crotch and chest areas while chanting, “I-pepe, i-pepe, i-dede, i-dede… ipederalismo!”
This video stirred online outrage and criticisms as it went viral over the weekend, just a few days after she said she plans to use social media to further explain federalism to her fellow Filipinos. As of writing, it garnered more than 11,000 reactions, 2,900 shares, and 308,000 views on Facebook.
Reacting to criticisms, the Palace official, on Sunday, explained that the controversial video was taken even before the Con-com and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) asked for help in the federalism campaign.
Uson also clarified that her role in the information drive is only to help promote federalism in social media and that she is neither its spokesperson nor ambassadress.
In his statement, Pimentel said he was wrong to think that Uson can help the government in raising the awareness of Filipinos about the proposed shift to a federal system of government.
“Kasi naman ang pagka-intindi ko ay hindi naman siya ang in-charge kundi isang tao na mas meron otoridad at kaalaman sa Pederalismo tulad ng mga miyembro ng Consultative Comm (To my understanding, she was not in-charge but someone who has an authority and knowledge about federalism like members of the Consultative Committee),” he explained.
“‘Di ko lubos akalain na bababuyin pala niya ang kawsa ng Pederalismo. Ilayo na si Mocha sa Pederalismo. Mag-aral muna siya nang mabuti. Mag-leave muna siya (I could not even imagine that she would tarnish the cause of federalism. Mocha should be kept away from federalism. She should study hard first. She should take a leave first),” he added.
Aside from Pimentel, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, and Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and Risa Hontiveros also slammed Uson over the viral video.
“Theatrical techniques will not work to explain a very serious and high falluting issue such as Federalism!” Sotto tweeted.
Meanwhile, Escudero described such action as a “desperate attempt” to draw attention from the people through “intentionally offending our sense of propriety.”
“It is downright vulgar and has no place in the public discourse on such an important issue as THEIR proposed shift to federalism and Charter change (Cha-cha)!” he continued.
Pangilinan, for his part, said what Uson and Olivar did was not public service but was mere “obscene” and “lewd.”
“Dapat magpaliwanag si (Communications Secretary Martin Andanar) Secretary Andanar sa mga kalaswaan at kababuyan na nangyayari sa kanyang tanggapan na ginagawa ng mga tauhan niya gamit ang pondo, oras, at kagamitan ng gobyerno (Secretary Andanar should explain this obscene and lewd action that is happening in his office. His people are using the funds, time, and resources of the government),” he stressed.
Moreover, Hontiveros called Uson as the “best promoter” of the President’s “fake federalism.”
“With her as promoter, the Duterte government’s sham federalism now has zero credibility,” the lady senator said.
The Palace also stressed that the government wants the public to know what federalism is all about and how it can improve their day-to-day lives so that they will support the administration’s proposal.
“Meron siyang mabuting mga hangarin at nakamit niya siguro iyong hangarin niya na dapat pag-usapan. Pero hindi po ganyang pag-uusap ang ninais natin (She has good intentions and she might have succeeded on her goal to talk about the matter. But that is not how we wanted it to be),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. told dzRH on Monday.
Senator Nancy Binay earlier urged the Palace official, who was accused of peddling false information online, to present the content of her federalism lectures in the next Senate hearings on the proposed Cha-cha.
[READ: Nancy Binay wants Mocha Uson to be resource person in Cha-cha hearings]