Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30) — Mocha Uson is back in government.
The controversial former Communications Assistant Secretary was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as Deputy Executive Director of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration on September 23, but the information was released to media only today.
Uson ran as party-list representative for AA Kasosyo Party in the midterm elections in May, but lost. Under the Constitution, there is a one-year ban for losing candidates to occupy a government post, but this excludes bets for party-list nominees.
The former dancer and singer turned blogger was heavily critcized for her controversial statements against critics of the President and for spreading fake news through her social media posts containing misleading and controversial materials and photos. The controversies include a video of her with her co-host, who sang a jingle to promote federalism. Many netizens and lawmakers found the jingle racy and in poor taste.
She resigned from the Presidential Communications Operations Office in October 2018 after some opposition lawmakers threatened to delay the office’s budget approval because of her failure to attend two budget deliberations.
A number of administrative and criminal charges have been filed against her for spreading misinformation.
