The newly-crowned Bb. Pilipinas-International 2017 Mariel de Leon, the daughter of veteran actors Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong, is getting flak from netizens for tweeting her opinion on Mocha Uson’s appointment as Assistant Secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) by President Duterte.

On May 9, Mariel tweeted the following as a response to a netizen who asked her opinion about the issue:

I love my country so it breaks my heart to know someone like her got a position in the govt.

There are so many other unbiased, educated, and respected (and respectful) people who deserve her place.

The said tweets garnered criticisms on social media, and this one particular reaction from a Duterte supporter has been getting media mileage lately:

Here’s the full text from Sass Rogando Sasot’s Facebook post:

Ms Mariel de Leon:

1. Loyalty is important in an appointed position. These appointees, like Mocha, serve at the pleasure of the president. As such, they should have a particular bias — and that is, they must support the reforms and policies of the administration.

Unlike you who lived a pampered life, Mocha was exposed to the cruelties of this world at an early age. Her father was a judge who handled cases involving big criminal syndicates: he got assasinated. I believe you were almost at the same age when that happened. I mean, while Mocha at your age had to face that kind of life, your greatest challenge in life is to win a crown for a beauty contest. Classic case of depth of life experience vs vapidness.

2. Mocha got her diploma before you got yours. FYI, she finished a medical degree and got into one of the top med schools in the PH. I believe your degree is related to cooking?

3. What is respected and respectful during this highly polarized moment in our political history is highly questionable. I believe the people who Mocha helped through her blog would disagree with you.

I was with Mocha in the second week of February. The vendors outside the bar where her group performs love her. They immediately ran to her and embraced her upon seeing her, like a long lost sister. That’s respect.

Mocha can be very blunt in her FB especially if she feels passionate about the issue.

I’m not really sure if you know what the job of being a PCOO Asec on Social Media entails. Well, Bb Pilipinas-International, it fundamentally entails understanding and having an actual experience in community engagement online. Now tell us, how is Mocha not qualified to do the job? But before that: What made you qualified to gauge someone’s qualification in that field?

Mariel is the successor of the previous Binibining Pilipinas International (now reigning Miss International) Kylie Versoza. She will fly to Japan later this year to represent our country in the prestigious beauty pageant.