By Mario Casayuran
With Mocha Uson, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary, as promoter, the Duterte government's ‘’sham federalism now has zero credibility.’’
Senator Risa Hontiveros (Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)
This was how opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros assessed Uson’s promotion of the proposal by the Malacañang-created Consultative Commission that the 1987 Constitution and the current unitary form of government to change to a federal form.
The promotion, not through a television medium but an uploaded video clip in the social media, showed a woman swinging her arms around an imagined breast and an imagined man’s sex organ while Uson was in the background applauding.
“Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson is the best promoter of President Rodrigo Duterte's fake federalism, infamous for its vulgarity and cheap antics to railroad it through an undemocratic and Senate-less charter change, postponement of the 2019 elections and term extension,’’ she added.
Hontiveros said Mocha’s “pepe-dederalism was vulgar.’’
Although she has not seen the Uson promotion, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar said ‘’the feedback was not good’’ and they need to improve upon it.
“Federalism is a serious matter. It requires revision of the Constitution and it must be presented in a serious, decent manner,’’ she said.
When not presented in a serious manner ‘’means we are not serious in our charter change,’’ she stressed.
Asked if there is anyone to be blamed at all for the vulgar presentation, Villar said ‘’Mocha should know, she is an assistant secretary.’