(UPDATE) Blogger Mocha Uson on Wednesday asked the Commission on Elections to look into the health of former Vice President Jejomar Binay as he runs for senator in the May 9 elections, citing reports that he may not be in the best condition to perform as a lawmaker.
The former communications assistant secretary, who is also running as representative of her eponymous party-list, wrote to the Comelec to verify reports she received about 79-year-old Binay's condition.
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"Yung mga nakakausap ko sa aking pag-iikot, sinasabi na si Vice President Binay ay hindi na raw katulad ng dati. Gusto kong malaman ngayon through Comelec kung may katotohanan ba ito," Uson said in an ambush interview uploaded by Philippine Star, adding that she was making the request as a "concerned citizen and voter."
Uson said it's the Comelec's mandate to see whether candidates will be able to perform their duties when they get elected to the office.
"Ayon sa Konstitusyon, dapat ang isang senador ay marunong bumasa at sumulat. Ang malalim na kahulugan nito ay dapat ang isang kandidato, ang senador ay naiintindihan niya ang kanyang sinasabi, binabasa at sinusulat," she said.
"Yun ang gusto nating malaman from Comelec, kung si VP Binay ay kaya pa niyang gawin ito kung siya ay sakaling manalong senador," she added.
Uson said she wasn't planning to write the Comelec anymore about Binay's health condition as she didn't want it to be politicized, but she could not ignore the reports that she had been receiving.
"Umaasa tayo na walang katotohan itong reports na nakakarating sa atin. Umaasa tayo na si Mr. Binay ay healthy, nasa maayos na kalagayan at may kakayanan na mamuno kung siya ay mahalal," she said.
"Pero kung siya ay wala nang kakayahan at may katotohan ang mga reports na ito, magpakatotoo na lang sila. Huwag natin ang onsehin ang mamamayang Pilipino," she added.
According to Pulse Asia's final pre-election survey last April, Binay is one of those with a statistical chance of winning the senatorial race, placing in the eighth to 12th spot.
Should he win on May 9, he will serve as senator until 2028, the year he turns 85 years old.
Joey Salgado, spokesperson for Binay, called Uson's petition "laughable, pathetic, and desperate," noting how the former vice president has been going around many areas of the country over the past few days to campaign and talk to local officials.
"Busy po si dating VP Binay simula pa lang ng campaign period. Hindi po siya sumasama sa mga rally ng presidential candidates na kumuha sa kanya bilang guest senatorial candidate dahil ito po ang kanilang napagkasunduan," Salgado said in a statement.
"Nakakalungkot lang na merong mga gustong siraan ang pangalan ni VP Binay, na malinaw ang track record ng paglilingkod sa ating mga kababayan," he added.
READ MORE:
'Young Duterte': Why Mocha Uson Backs Isko Moreno for President
MOCHA Partylist Allowed to Run After Securing Comelec Accreditation
Can the Party-List System Change for the Truly Marginalized?
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