THERE was no instruction from President Rodrigo Duterte to sack Communications Assistant Secretary Esther Margaux Uson following her "offensive act" against the deaf community, Malacañang said Thursday, September 20.
Uson is facing a complaint filed by the Philippine Federation of the Deaf on Thursday before the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Communications official was heavily criticized for posting a video last September 13, showing blogger Drew Olivar making fun of sign language. The latest video uploaded on Uson's Facebook page has earned the ire of the deaf people, as well as of the deaf advocates.
Uson and Olivar already issued an apology, but the Philippine Federation of the Deaf said in its complaint Thursday that the two violated their rights under the Magna Carta of Persons with Disabilities.
"The ridicule brought on by this video is an affront to both being dead, and our right to the use of manual communication and our sign language," the complaint read.
Section 40 of Magna Carta of Persons with Disabilities prohibits any individuals from ridiculing persons with disability "in any time and place which could intimate or result in loss of self-esteem of the latter."
Section 39 of the same law states that public ridicule is an act of "making fun or contemptuous imitating or making a mockery of persons with disabilities whether in writing, or in words, or in action due to their impairment."
The law imposes a fine of P50,000 to P100,000 or imprisonment from six months to two years for first-time violators.
Individuals who will commit subsequent violations will be fined P100,000 to P200,000n or detention from two years to six years.
But Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., when asked if Duterte ordered Uson's dismissal from service amid public's clamor to axe the Communications official, said: "Sa ngayon po, hindi (As of now, no)."
Roque said the Palace would let the anti-graft body decide on Uson's fate.
"Let's wait for the decision of the Ombudsman dahil meron na namang ganyang mga complaint (because there are similar complaints filed previously). The Ombudsman can already order the dismissal of anyone in government because it is both an administrative or criminal case," he said.
"Igagalang po ng Palasyo ang proseso. Kapag sinabing sibakin, hindi po natin tututulan iyan (The Palace will respect the process. We will not defy thr order of the Ombudsman if it seeks Uson's dismissal," he added.
On Tuesday, September 18, Malacañang said Duterte has a "very high" tolerance for the freedom of expression still being enjoyed by Uson. (SunStar Philippines)