“Nothing wrong” with Mocha Uson’s appointment: Duterte

May 10, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte defended on Wednesday his appointment of former sexy dancer and blogger  Margaux Justiniano Uson as assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). In a press conference before his departure for his trip abroad, Duterte said it was his idea to appoint Uson to PCOO from being a member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. "There's nothing wrong with the woman or the girl. She's bright. She's articulate. And if it is just a matter of dancing, she was not dancing naked," Duterte said. Duterte recalled when he was still campaigning for president, Uson helped him. "She was with me during the campaign. A little bit sexier than the others. But that does not prevent anybody to deprive her of the honors that she deserves. It’s a matter of intellect," Duterte said. He also defended Uson for being a sexy dancer before, saying it was her job. "There's no law which says that if you expose half of your body with a shorts and a bra, you are disqualified from being the president of the Philippines," he said. The president also cited his "debt of gratitude" for Uson because she and others "offered their services free at the time when I don't have money because they believed in me. Now it's my time to believe in them. "And you can listen to her. You can debate with her. Look at her Facebook and she can have a very structured mind. So what's the problem?...every Filipino should deserve a chance whenever or whatever. There's no problem with me," Duterte added. Uson, who is assistant secretary for social media, accompanied Duterte in his trip to Cambodia, Hong Kong and China. (Celerina Monte/DMS)