The 1PWD Party-list on Monday filed a complaint-referral before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against the hosts and producers of the Machong Chismisan podcast following insensitive remarks directed at Kris Aquino’s firstborn son, Josh, who is on the autism spectrum.
1PWD Rep. JD Castro arrived at the NBI’s headquarters in Pasay City around 9:30 a.m. to file the complaint-referral before the bureau’s Cybercrime Division.
In an interview with reporters upon his arrival, Castro said the complaint-referral involves an alleged violation of Republic Act No. 9442, which amends the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (Republic Act No. 7277).
Under the Republic Act No. 9442, mockery, discrimination and defamation against persons with disability is punishable by law.
Those who would be found guilty of this violation may face fines amounting to P50,000 to P100,000 and imprisonment of six months to two years for a first offense.
The copy of his complaint-referral showed that they also suggested the filing of an alleged violation of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The hosts named are Tito P, also known as Tito Patrioto; Makoy Pare, also known as Showbiz Bro; Daniel Lawrence Vivar, also known as LV; RJ Carbonell, and John Paulo Mojica.
Castro also said that aside from the hosts, their complaint-referral also covered the producers of the Machong Chismisan, pointing out that they allowed the episode to be aired on social media.
‘The only disability in the world actually is a bad attitude. So hindi dapat ginagawa yan ng isang normal na tao,’ Castro said.
(The only disability in the world actually is a bad attitude. So a normal person shouldn’t do that.)
‘We take this very seriously at hindi po kami aatras – hindi kami mahina. At this time ipapakita namin na lumalaban ang mga person with disabilities,’ he pointed out.
(We take this very seriously, and we will not back down – we are not weak. And this time we will show that people with disabilities are fighting back.)
He also said they reached out to the Aquino family following the incident.
‘We respect that they released a statement na they will not pursue anymore. Pero sabi ko nga, we are not standing on behalf of Josh Aquino, but on the sector, as a community. Kasi paano yung mga taong walang kakayanan? Sinong magpo-protekta sa kanila?’ he said.
(We respect that they released a statement that they will not pursue anymore.
But as I said, we are not standing on behalf of Josh Aquino, but on the sector, as a community. What about the incompetent people? Who will protect them?)
Without explicitly mentioning the ‘Machong Chismisan’ podcast, Kris Aquino, in an Instagram post, earlier said, ‘There are people I should learn not to give oxygen to, in other words ignore and the issue dies a natural death.’
‘By never stating their names, or my feelings, they didn’t get the word war from me they were expecting,’ the actress said.
(By never stating their names, or my feelings, they didn’t get the word war from me they were expecting.)
Meanwhile, NBI Director Melvin Matibag earlier said the bureau has issued subpoenas against the five hosts, requiring them to appear before the bureau on Oct. 20.
The five male hosts of the podcast faced backlash after they made comments about Josh in their episode aired last Oct. 5, with one of them calling him ‘walang kwenta’ (useless). The hosts, on their social media page, later this Thursday issued a public apology, saying that ‘we take full accountability for our actions and behavior during the episode.’
‘We acknowledge that our conduct was inexcusable, deeply insensitive, and hurtful. We recognize the impact of our actions, and we do not wish to make excuses for the harm we have caused,’ the hosts said.