By: Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar said yesterday that Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson has a high chance of winning should she run for the Senate in 2019.
However, Andanar said President Duterte may not want Uson to run despite her large number of supporters as the Chief Executive does not want Cabinet officials to run for senator and also does not want them to use their positions as springboard to politics.
“Sinabi na ng ating mahal na Pangulo nung last year pa na mga Cabinet officials ay hindi niya papatakbuhin sa Senado at ayaw niyang ginagamit ‘yung departamento namin o ‘yung kanya-kanyang departamento as a jumping board to enter politics,” he said.
Andanar said that he is happy Uson was included in the administration party PDP-Laban’s possible senatorial slate for 2019 which was announced by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in Cebu City last Friday.
“I congratulate Mocha for – malaki ang followers niya, eh. So siguro sabihin mo na lang, ‘yung five million followers na lang eh boboto at may mga kamag-anak naman ‘yan, diba? So malaki ‘yung chance na manalo siya,” Andanar said.
“Kung winnability lang ang pag-usapan or ‘yung the possibility of winning ay talagang no-brainer na si Mocha, she can really draw the crowd,” he added.
However, Harry Roque, a former member of the House of Representatives who assumed the position of presidential spokesperson last Nov. 6 and a Cabinet member, is an exception to the rule, Andanar said.
Andanar said Duterte had already announced that Roque would be included in his senatorial slate for 2019.
“Well, iba naman ‘yung kay Secretary Roque. Nung pinakilala po si Secretary Roque, I think it was in Bacolod or in Iloilo, na sinabi ni Presidente na kasama siya sa senatorial slate niya. So Secretary Roque is an exception to the rule,” Andanar said.
“And you know, it’s really the prerogative of the President. So kung gusto niyang isang member ng Cabinet niya like Secretary Roque to run then it is really his choice.”